Security tightened at Quirino Grandstand as Iglesia ni Cristo members start arriving

Security was tightened at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila before dawn Tuesday as members of the influential Iglesia ni Cristo started arriving for their Grand Evangelical Mission scheduled in the afternoon.

 

Police kept watch over the Luneta area, including nearby roads and hotels, as buses and jeeps carrying delegates from the provinces arrived, radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported.

 

While a traffic rerouting scheme was not due to take effect until noon, a portion of T.M. Kalaw Street up to the National Library was closed as buses and jeeps parked in the area.

 

A separate report by dzBB's Rodil Vega said the early delegations came from Quezon and Pampanga province as well as the Bicol region.

 

The report said the buses started arriving as early as 2 a.m., even as some INC members spent the night at the grandstand area.

 

INC members even had their own radio group and ambulances, with one of the ambulances responding to an accident at the Vito Cruz area before dawn.

 

Show of force

 

The INC gathering has been seen as a show of force of sorts, with many speculations connecting it to the ongoing impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

 

Former Justice Secretary Serafin Cuevas, an INC member, is the lead defense counsel of Corona at the impeachment trial.

 

But Malacañang, which is pushing for Corona's conviction, has refused to comment on the politically connected speculations about the INC gathering.

 

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte on Sunday only appealed to the participants to clean up after themselves and not litter the venue.

 

Buses, jeeps from Central Temple

 

In Quezon City, dzBB's Manny Vargas reported buses and jeeps were gathered at the INC Central Temple to ferry members to the Tuesday afternoon activity.

 

But this did not disrupt traffic along Commonwealth Avenue as police and traffic enforcers managed the situation.

 

For its part, the Philippine National Police said it expects one to two million people to attend the grand rally, dzBB's Benjie Liwanag Jr. reported.

 

The report added the PNP assured there is no need to cut off cell phone signals like the government did last January during the Feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo. –KG, GMA News