INC Rallies: The Fiction of a Non-Political Protest

On November 16, the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) launched what it proudly branded as a “three-day rally for transparency, justice, and a better democracy” at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, Manila. Officials projected a crowd of around 300,000 people. But after only two days, the same church that trumpeted a three?day “mission” abruptly declared: tapos na, mission accomplished — and quietly ended the rally.

On the surface, that’s the script INC wants the country to swallow: a spontaneous, peaceful, righteous call for accountability. But scratch even lightly beneath the surface and the paint peels fast. What you see is not a humble plea for justice, but a calculated and premeditated show of force — wrapped in religious language, wielded as a political weapon, and aimed squarely at anyone who dares to cross the church administration’s line.  We’ve seen this play out enough times to consider it one of their known modus operandi.

INC’s choice of venue — the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park — was never just about convenience or “space for the brethren.” It is symbolic ground zero: people?power terrain, where Filipinos once toppled dictators and defied abusive regimes. For a religious institution notorious for bloc voting and political bargaining to occupy that space and call it a “religious rally” is not coincidence. It is a statement.

The state understood that too. High?ranking police forces were mobilized: over 9,800 NCRPO personnel initially, with later reports saying more than 15,000 officers were deployed. That’s not your average church outing. That’s the kind of deployment you see when the government knows it’s dealing with a mischievous political actor, not just a congregation.

Publicly, INC’s line was very predictable: “Not political, but moral.”

In the Philippines, when INC says “moral,” what they really mean is political — but with hymns and Bible verses as props.

The church has a long, well?documented history of fusing religion with raw political muscle. Members vote in blocs; leaders negotiate in backrooms via many “trusted liaisons.” Sanggunian Minister Erdz Codera, the INC’s “official” Political Affairs Liaison, is no stranger to private mansions, high?end restaurants, and ultra?exclusive hotel rooms where such “secret meetings” are held and brokering political favors is the most lucrative currency.

This is not new. This is the pattern. INC rallies have always carried implicit political weight. In 2025, they backed Vice President Sara Duterte; in previous cycles, they’ve thrown support behind other political dynasties. They don’t just pray for leaders — they help install them, and they expect high level returns as the country’s notorious kingmaker.

Why Cut It Short? The Two-Day “Mission Accomplished”

On November 18, instead of marching into a climactic third day, INC quietly announced that the rally was over. The official message: “We achieved our goal.” They claimed the rally had already sent a strong, peaceful message for justice, accountability, and transparency.

And that’s where the alarm bells start ringing.

What exactly was that “goal”? And why would a massive, meticulously planned three?day event suddenly wrap up a full day early? Insiders tell a different story, one that hit the church administration like a curveball.

The unexpected kicker!

Imee Marcos-Manotoc allegedly begged INC officials to give her a platform at their rally. They reportedly agreed because of her generous Nutribun donation, which fed the thousands of peaceful protesters.
Little did they know that Imee’s speech would be an unexpected outburst at an Iglesia ni Cristo rally for peace and morality — publicly accusing and shaming her own brother, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., his wife, and their children of being drug addicts — reeks of bitter hypocrisy. What makes her barbed claims especially jarring is the setting: a religious gathering presided over by a leader whose own house is far from spotless. The head of this very church, Eduardo Manalo, has been accused of stripping his own family of their dignity, imprisoning them in their homes, denying them water, food, and basic necessities. When his mother and brother reached out in desperation via YouTube for help, he didn’t answer with compassion — he publicly humiliated his mother and expelled her from the church. And as for Angel Manalo, his brother, he was prosecuted on what many consider to be fabricated charges, now languishing in custody for nearly a decade. If Imee Marcos-Manotoc was attempting to invoke moral authority or righteousness, her choice of platform betrayed her — aligning her slander with a church marred by its own legacy of cruelty and vendettas, exposing her and EVM’s hypocrisy in full glare. I believe this staggering display of hypocrisy struck such a nerve that Iglesia ni Cristo officials abruptly cut the supposed three-day rally down to two. So even before it got any worse, they pulled the plug and cut the rally short before people started to realize that Imee Marcos-Manotoc and Eduardo V. Manalo are really no different from each other after all. And this is when things can start to get ugly.

“It sent a message,” they say. But in reality, because of Imee Marcos-Manotoc’s public attack against the Philippine President, her own brother, and his family, the INC church administration got so close to turning a rally into a destabilization plot that could eventually trigger Martial Law… again! 

Hijacking Genuine Outrage

By draping itself in the language of “moral governance,” INC taps into very real public frustration. People are tired. They are angry — very angry. They are drowning in floods and debt while the corrupt get richer. Imagine such a volatile situation, brewing in rage, and it only takes one misguided instigator to ignite the crowd into a violent force that will ripple into its own inevitable destruction.

• While the crowd chants against corrupt officials, no one on stage is asking: Who are the church’s own business partners? Who actually benefits from its endorsements?
• While INC rails against thieves in government, it conveniently sidesteps any scrutiny into its own wealth, its own deals, its own backchannels. Why are the church members not asking for transparency and accountability from their own leaders, who have been riddled with corruption and luxurious, ridiculously exorbitant lifestyles, while their members drown in poverty and are bled dry with non?stop Tanging Tanging Tanging Handugan from A–Z?

Ultimately, the rally functioned not only as a protest, but as a stern warning — to government officials, to investigators, to anyone thinking of following the money trail too far down the rabbit hole and into the well?guarded gates of the “Central Office”: We can shut down a city in 48 hours. Think twice before dragging us into your hearings.

Because no Blue Ribbon Committee chairman, no President of the Philippines or any country, and no International Criminal Court will ever succeed in getting Eduardo Manalo or any of his cohorts into any investigation. Period. Their blind followers gladly lay down their lives to shield their beloved Executive Minister. Yet they cringe whenever they are called by everyone else a cult.

This rally must be read in that context:

A church that sees the political winds shifting is not having a spiritual awakening. It is repositioning — looking for the next set of politicians who will protect its business interests, shield its leadership, and look the other way when questions about its finances and influence arise.

To go further, we must ask the question INC desperately wants to avoid:

How deep does the rot go — and how tightly are INC’s leaders woven into the machinery of state corruption?

Silencing Through Fear and Isolation

And what of those who dare to speak out? Whether inside INC or outside, dissent is often met with expulsion, character assassination, intimidation and prosecution. Journalists, activists, former members — anyone who pulls back the curtain risks being labeled an enemy, a traitor, a liar, and even risks to their life and safety.

The rally may have looked like a peaceful sea of unity. But for many who know the inner workings, it was also a reminder: We can mobilize this machine against you anytime you step out of line.

The Irony of the Helicopter Speech

Nothing captured the hypocrisy of this rally more perfectly than one viral moment.

In a widely shared video, a prominent Filipino lawyer, Atty. Rowena Guanzon, stands on the stage and thunders against greedy politicians who ride in helicopters and private planes, while ordinary Filipinos endure hours in cramped buses and jeepneys just to get home. The crowd erupts in cheers — righteous anger, finally given a microphone.

And yet, here’s the bitter punchline:

This same church — under the same administration hosting the rally — has openly confirmed ownership of million?dollar helicopters, private jets, even an Airbus. And presiding over it all is a church leader who enjoys the very luxuries being denounced — but cloaked in religious immunity.

What If There Is a Real Investigation?

Now, imagine — just for a moment — that there is a fully independent, fearless investigation into INC’s finances, alliances, and political entanglements. No sacred cows. No “off?limits” zones. No special treatment because someone wears a minister’s suit.

Where might it lead?

Into the Ledgers of INC Leaders

• How are church funds allocated? How are funds funneled from overseas?
• What portion goes to actual humanitarian work, and what portion fuels jets, helicopters, and lavish properties?
• How are church?linked businesses structured, and who ultimately benefits? Who benefits from the FYM Foundations worldwide?

Into the Rolodex of Political Pawns

• Which officials have quietly benefited from INC endorsements, campaign support, or bloc votes?
• What did they promise in return — contracts, appointments, legal blind spots?
• Who are the judges lobbied by the church in every judicial circuit, and even the Supreme Court?
• Who are the ranking officials in the armed forces, police, and military who were positioned by the church administration?
• What was the actual cost of these political appointments and carefully maneuvered lobbying?

Into Contractors and Ghost Projects

• In the flood control scandal alone, how many companies have ties — direct or indirect — to INC members, ministers, or allies? Senator Marcoleta and his wife are just the tip of this vast, intricate INC network.
• Who are the real INC bagmen of the local pastors, district ministers, Sanggunian ministers, and close?ins of the Eduardo Manalo family?

Into the Machinery of Persecution

• How are internal critics treated?
• Are there documented patterns of harassment, social isolation, or economic coercion against those who question the administration?
• How far does the church go to protect its image and crush dissent?
• Why is Bro. Angel Manalo still in jail for a trumped-up crime they did not commit?
• Why did Eduardo Manalo allow his own parents and siblings to be hunted down and incarcerated?
• Is EVM exempt from living Christian values of love, compassion and forgiveness simply because he is the Executive Minister of the INC?

If such an investigation were conducted truthfully, transparently, and without political interference, it would not just rattle a few politicians. It could shake the very foundations of INC’s power structure — and that is precisely why rallies like this are staged: to make investigators think twice.

But don’t think that all INC members are evil. The majority of them are God?fearing and true followers of Christ. Unfortunately, there are a few who are not, especially those at the top echelon of the church administration. Similarly, not all INC members are blind; many are awake and aware, but cautious. Those who have been given discernment know the truth and abhor the evil and greed festering within the church administration, degrading the church into a cult. One only needs to search and will discover that many have now seen the light. They are hidden from plain sight but emerge from the shadows to shed light on those who are still blind. Many of them found refuge in online forums like Reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/exIglesiaNiCristo/).

The Call to the Filipino People

Ultimately, dismantling INC’s political chokehold is not just about exposing corruption in one church. It is about waking up an entire nation to the dangers of unchecked religious?political power.

• Civil society must widen its lens. It is not enough to demand transparency from Malacañang and Congress. We must also demand it from religious institutions that behave like political parties and corporations.
• Legislators must confront the elephant in the room. Enough with pseudo-hearings and debates that go nowhere. The people deserve accountability and strict laws that prohibit or ban political endorsements by religious organizations, especially those with vast financial and commercial interests.
• Ordinary Filipinos, whether INC members or not, must understand: real change begins when we install a check?and?balance apparatus on every governing body, whether political or religious. This is the true testament to transparency and accountability.
• Bottom line: The Filipino people are no longer fooled by INC’s so?called “non?political” rallies. More and more are seeing through the façade and calling these events what they truly are: self?righteous spectacles orchestrated by INC church leaders. Their prime motive is not to uphold the rule of law or genuinely demand transparency and accountability, but to protect their political and financial vested interests, deeply entangled in the roots of systemic corruption in our country. The real victims are the ordinary church members — the poor, the loyal, the fearful — who are either still trapped in a cult?like illusion or are unwilling participants with no real choice but to obey and never complain, lest they be branded enemies of the church. Increasingly, Filipinos recognize that the leaders of this cult?like institution are not part of the solution to corruption; they are part of the problem, reinforcing the very culture of impunity they pretend to condemn.

As long as we allow religious blocs to dictate elections, as long as we treat churches as untouchable, we will never fully uproot the culture of graft and corruption. We will only keep changing the faces at the top while the same puppeteers pull the strings.

Power without transparency is corruption — whether it wears a politician’s sash or a minister’s suit.

~ Antonio Ramirez Ebangelista