Akbayan rep urges politicians to speak up against Iglesia's 'bullying'

How politicians will respond to the Iglesia ni Cristo's protest against what it says is government meddling will be a litmus test to help voters find out what kind of leaders they are, a party-list lawmaker said Sunday.

 

In a statement, Akbayan party-list Rep. Ibarra Gutierrez III urged politicians to speak up against what he sees as a “tyranny of organized numbers.”

 

He said that while he supports every citizen's duty to exercise the freedom of assembly, those who abuse that privilege “must be called out and condemned.”

 

“[I] firmly insist on the duty of every responsible citizen, especially those occupying public office, to take a stand when the freedom of speech and assembly is used to derail legitimate government processes and bully the officials lawfully tasked to see them through,” Gutierrez said.

 

The lawmaker, whose party-list is with the administration coalition, described the Iglesia ni Cristo's protest as “plain insensitivity” because it has led to “massive inconvenience to thousands of fellow citizens.”

 

Gutierrez, however, clarified in a text message that his sentiments were only his own since the Akbayan party-list has yet to formally discuss the issue.

 

Members of the Iglesia ni Cristo have been gathering at EDSA-Shaw in Mandaluyong since Friday to protest Justice Secretary Leila de Lima's order to investigate a complaint by an expelled Iglesia minister who claims he was illegally detained by church leaders. 

 

The rally, which started Thursday outside the Department of Justice compound in Manila and has since transferred to EDSA, is already on its fourth day.

'Govt declines to exercise authority'

 

In a separate text message, former Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello criticized Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, Senator Grace Poe and Vice President Jejomar Binay for allegedly “conciliating” the Iglesia ni Cristo even when it already has Metro Manila “by the throat” due to the disruption the ongoing rally has caused.

 

Roxas and Binay are the standard-bearers for the administration and the opposition. Poe has yet to decide on whether to seek higher office in 2016.

 

“The government, always quick to act against the Left, has the authority to peacefully clear EDSA but it declines to exercise that authority, citing 'respect for the right to protest.' Rights are relational. When the right to free speech is exercised to deliberately wreck public order and create chaos for the vast majority, the government must place the welfare of majority in command,” he said.

 

On the first day of the EDSA rally, which fell on a payday, Roxas reminded Iglesia ni Cristo supporters that their right to assembly should not impinge on the rights of others who were stuck in heavy traffic because of the protest.

 

Poe and Binay have said members of the religious sect are only protecting their doctrine by joining the rally. — JDS, GMA News