More Iglesia ni Cristo members to join EDSA gathering Sunday

(Updated 5:43 p.m.) More members of the Iglesia ni Cristo were expected to join the gathering at EDSA-Shaw on Sunday, the religious group's fourth day of protest against Justice Secretary Leila de Lima's order to investigate the alleged abductions of their ministers.

 

"I believe dadami. This is the best day na magpunta sila," Iglesia ni Cristo spokesperson Edwil Zabala told GMA News Online in a phone interview.

 

Zabala said that more Iglesia members within Metro Manila are expected to join after the Sunday service or before noon today.

 

A report by Eagle News of the Iglesia ni Cristo said that members from 12 ecclesiastical districts will  join the gathering at EDSA-Shaw.

 

Radio dzBB, meanwhile, reported that the religious sect's members from Bicol region, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Zambales and Batangas will also join the protest action.

 

Zabala could not give an estimate of how many members will actually join the protest action on Sunday.

 

As of 4:15 p.m., the Eastern Police District said that at least 4,000 members of Iglesia ni Cristo have joined the protest action at EDSA-Shaw.

Regional protests

Zabala, meanwhile, told GMA News Online that Iglesia ni Cristo members will also hold separate protest actions in front of Department of Justice's (DOJ) regional offices.

 

The DOJ has regional offices in San Fernando, La Union; Tuguegarao, Cagayan; San Fernando, Pampanga; San Pablo City, Laguna; Legazpi City, Albay; Iloilo City, Iloilo; Cebu City, Cebu; Tacloban City; Zamboanga City; Cagayan de Oro City; Davao City; SOCCSKSARGEN, Marawi City, Butuan City and Marawi City (ARMM).

 

Iglesia ni Cristo members started gathering in front of the DOJ office in Manila last Thursday and transferred to EDSA Shrine on Friday and then to EDSA-Shaw.
 

Another report on Eagle online news said that the Iglesia ni Cristo is planning to ask for a permit from the Mandaluyong City to allow its members to continue the protest action at EDSA-Shaw on Monday, which falls on a holiday (National Heroes' Day).

The group's permit to assemble at EDSA-Shaw will end by midnight of Sunday.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino told radio dzBB in an interview that the Iglesia ni Cristo's protest action has so far been peaceful and orderly.

He added that the MMDA and the concerned local government units will continue to deploy more personnel to handle the traffic on EDSA, which has been affected by the protest action.

Eastern Police Districf chief Senior Superintendent Elmer Jamias said the PNP is closely working with the MMDA and the local government units to maintain peace in the area.

Separation of church and state
 

The protest action came after former Iglesia ni Cristo member Isaias Samson filed a criminal case against the sect's officials for allegedly harassing and illegally detaining him and his family.

 

The group is asking for the resignation of De Lima for supposedly meddling with the Iglesia ni Cristo's internal affairs. They want De Lima to drop her order to the National Bureau of Investigation to continue the investigations on the alleged kidnapping of their ministers.

 

In a report on GMA News' Balitanghali, Iglesia ni Cristo general secretary Radel Cortez visited the protest site in the morning. He insisted that they are protesting because of the government's harassment.