DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/13 Jan) – Aside from the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), another group claiming to oppose the impeachment cases filed against Vice President Sara Duterte joined the religious sect’s “National Rally for Peace” here Monday.
Members of the Protect VP Sara Movement gather at the Freedom Park in Davao City before marching to join the INC’s “National Rally for Peace” at San Pedro Square on Monday (13 January 2025). MindaNews photo by IAN CARL ESPINOSA | More pictures here
Some members claiming to be associated with the Protect VP Sara Movement, a group which was formed December last year, marched from Freedom Park near Roxas Ave. corner C. Bangoy St. all the way to San Pedro Square, where the INC is holding its rally, about 15 minutes away. They started marching at 2 p.m.
Tristan Digan, the movement’s lead convenor, told the media that they gathered around 2,000 members. He said they have been staging rallies as early as Dec. 8, but pointed out they are not part of the Maisug group, the pro-Duterte movement formed early in 2024.
Digan said that aside from Davao City, they have members from other areas in the Davao Region and from as far as Sultan Kudarat, Cotabato, and Basilan.
They claimed they are here to offer “prayer for peace and justice” as support for the INC’s cause.
“Kining mga miyembro nato dili sila maka-siyagit sa mga gusto nila, dili nila mahimo kay lagi kini respeto sab sa INC. Paningkamotan nato nga maabot nato ang hustisya [para kang Vice President] (Our members opted not to shout what they want for now, in deference to the INC. We will try out best to get justice for the Vice President),” Digan said.
He said they have been staging rallies every Sunday, urging more people to join them to “support the Vice President” amid the impeachment cases.
The first impeachment complaint against Duterte was filed last Dec. 2. The second one came two days after, and the third on Dec. 19. These impeachment complaints mentioned betrayal of public trust, plunder, malversation, technical malversation, and bribery, among other reasons.
The filing of the impeachment complaints came after the growing tension between the Dutertes and the Marcoses, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s first cousin, House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) estimated that as of 3 p.m. Monday, over 230,000 people were present in the INC’s “National Rally for Peace.”
INC regional legal officer Eranio “Bong” Estudillo said they had planned the rally as early as December last year, and they expected to gather around 500,000 members from their 12 districts in Regions 11 (Davao) and 12 (Soccsksargen), including some from Bukidnon province.
An INC district comprises several local congregations or churches in a geographic area.
Posters bearing the message “Para Sa Bayan… Protektahan Si VP Sara Duterte” (For the Country … Protect VP Sara Duterte) were being installed when MindaNews checked the venue Sunday afternoon.
The INC rally, which was scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., started 59 minutes late.
But it is expected that they will conduct their “program proper” at 4 p.m., DCPO spokesperson Hazel Caballero told the media, based on the INC’s request during the city council session Tuesday last week. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)
0 Comments