Admin stalwarts glad INC rally over but ex-PNoy ally wants answers

Administration allies at the House of Representatives on Monday cheered the end of the Iglesia ni Cristo's protest along EDSA and said they are confident an investigation into illegal detention charges filed by a former Iglesia minister will continue.

 

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. encouraged the public to be "happy" that the mass action has concluded.

 

"Let's just be happy that it's now ok," he said in a text message.

 

Akbayan party-list Rep. Ibarra Gutierrez III said that just like other motorists in Metro Manila, he is glad that the rally staged by Iglesia ni Cristo members ended peacefully.

 

Even as the lawmaker admitted that public speculation on what prompted the Iglesia ni Cristo to terminate its protest is expected, he said the Department of Justice has been clear it intends to continue looking into the illegal detention and harassment complaint filed by expelled minister Isaias Samson Jr.

 

"I think the government has made its position very clear from the onset of the assemblies — that the DOJ will continue to perform its legal duty to investigate crimes and uphold the rule of law — even as it respects the rights of citizens to express their opinions through speech and assembly," he said.

 

Gutierrez added that speculation about a supposed "agreement" between the government and Iglesia ni Cristo could be put to rest in the coming days as the DOJ sheds light on the action it plans to take on Samson's complaint.

 

"[T]he INC protesters had two demands: Drop the charges and get rid of Secretary [Leila] De Lima. If the DOJ process continues and the good secretary is still in office by tomorrow then that should definitively answer any of these claims," he said in a separate Facebook post.

'Agreement reached'

 

Earlier in the day, Iglesia ni Cristo general evangelist Bienvenido Santiago announced an end to the protest after a discussion between church leaders and government officials. 

 

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte on Monday denied, however, that the protest ended because the government and influential religious group had reached a deal.

 

"There was no deal struck, as some insinuate. The talks gave both sides an opportunity to clarify issues and concerns," Valte said in a text message to reporters.

 

Church members began their mass action last Thursday at the DOJ compound to protest what they say was the special treatment being extended to Samson's complaint. 

 

They moved their protest to EDSA on Friday, paralyzing the main thoroughfare with some 20,000 people attending the rally on Sunday night. 

 

While administration allies would like the controversy surrounding Iglesia ni Cristo's protest to be put to rest, former Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello called on the government to provide more details on how it convinced the Iglesia to leave EDSA.

 

"The Palace should release the terms of the agreement [it has with Iglesia ni Cristo] as soon as possible to dispel the widespread suspicion that it was blackmailed into a disadvantageous agreement by the INC," he said.

 

Bello, who resigned from Congress last March due to differences in opinion with Aquino, said Malacañang should also give the assurance that the DOJ will not be dropping the investigation into Samson's complaint.

The former lawmaker pointed out over the weekend that "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.'" 

He said that the government should have made "the welfare of the majority" a priority. — JDS, GMA News