Ben Madilynn
THE “National Rally for Peace” was held at the South Road Properties (SRP) in Cebu City on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. The event supported the nationwide Unity and Peace Assembly organized by the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) and opposed the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Jomar Duañas, district supervising minister of the INC in Cebu, stated in his speech that the impeachment could further divide the nation. “May kasabihan nga na ‘united we stand, divided we fall,’” he told participants.
He reiterated President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s message that impeachment was “not important” and a “waste of time.”
“Those who are here, we oppose and as much as we can we do not allow the country to be divided,” he said in Tagalog.
Some participants arrived at the venue as early as 4 a.m., including 58-year-old Helen Companion, an INC member from Toledo City who attended with five family members.
“Nagkahiusa lang mi isip Iglesia ni Cristo. Kung unsay kuan sa among labaw, amo jud nang suportaran,” said Helen.
(We are united as Iglesia ni Cristo. If our superiors face challenges, we will support them.)
She emphasized the event’s call for unity.
As the sun rose later in the afternoon, some attendees used umbrellas while others resorted to makeshift cloths to protect themselves from the heat on the grassy and muddy grounds of the SRP. Helen, who sat on a folding chair since their arrival, admitted to feeling some discomfort and mentioned that it was their first time attending a rally organized by the INC.
Her daughter Ryen noted that the INC only wants peace for the country.
Razel Sareum, 37, expressed that the government should focus on economic problems rather than impeachment, stating that such moves would distract lawmakers from their essential duties.
In addition to INC members, political figures were spotted at the rally, including dismissed Cebu City mayor Michael Rama, who is running for reelection, and gubernatorial candidate Pamela Baricuatro.
On Thursday, Jan. 9, Baricuatro reiterated in her live Facebook post that the rally was not politically partisan but a call for solidarity among Filipinos. “This is not about being pro-Duterte or anti-Marcos. It’s about preserving peace and unity in our nation,” she said.
The INC, which is the third-largest religious group in the Philippines with 2.8 million members according to the 2020 census, has played a pivotal role in mobilizing this nationwide campaign. In an earlier report on INC-owned Net25, the group emphasized the need to prioritize national issues over political disputes.
President Marcos also voiced his opposition to impeachment efforts, urging lawmakers to focus on more pressing matters affecting Filipinos.
Despite these calls, the impeachment process continues, with critics accusing Vice President Duterte of betrayal of public trust and other high crimes. / CDF
