Iglesia Ni Cristo secures permit for July 1 rally

The Quezon City government granted the request of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) to obtain a rally permit for Wednesday, July 1, along the stretch of White Plains Avenue to Temple Drive.

In its approval of the permit, the QC Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) said it has "no objection" to the conduct of a "peaceful rally along White Plains Avenue — Temple Drive" on Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The approval, however, was subject to compliance to the following guidelines:

• The program will be held along White Plains Ave — Temple Drive, Quezon City
• No total road closure will be undertaken during the duration of the activity
• Cleanliness and orderliness of the area shall be maintained
• Security measures by the city police and local government should not be impeded
• Normal flow of traffic during the entire activity must be observed

"This permit is officially recognized provided, however, the time and location specified above shall be strictly followed and holding the rally in any other place other than that indicated herein constitute a prohibited act under Section 13 of Batas Pambansa Blg 880 and may be subject to appropriate legal action," the QC DPOS said.

Based on the document, the estimated number of participants for the Wednesday mass action was at "around 100,000."

As of posting time, participants of the ongoing EDSA rally today, Tuesday, have been in the vicinity of the People Power Monument since 2 a.m. or for more than 17 hours.

The gathering has triggered massive traffic snarls not just at White Plains Avenue but along EDSA, Metro Manila's main thoroughfare.

Vehicular traffic has been affected on both the northbound and southbound sides of EDSA since noontime.

As of 6 p.m. the crowd estimate around the People Power Monument was 16,000, according to the Quezon City Police. — VDV, GMA News