The Iglesia ni Cristo Central, in Quezon Metropolis —Inquirer photograph
MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos on Sunday referred to as on the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) to proceed being a great accomplice of presidency, regardless of the non secular group’s criticism of among the present administration’s selections, notably these regarding the Duterte household.
Marcos greeted the INC on its 111th founding anniversary on July 27, calling its members “mannequin residents and devoted servants of God by means of service, charity, and solidarity with others.”
“As we have fun your 111th anniversary, could you proceed to be companions of our authorities in constructing a powerful and orderly society,” he stated in a message in Filipino.
READ: Sara Duterte greets INC: Praying that your religion in God be strengthened
The President stated his administration stands with the INC in its mission to assist construct a peaceable and affluent nation for all Filipinos.
“By way of our continued respect for and obedience to the teachings of the Lord, I imagine we’ll overcome any problem and obtain our goals for our beloved nation,” he stated.
‘Bloc voting’ energy
On Oct. 30, 2024, Marcos issued Proclamation No. 729 declaring July 27, 2025, as a particular nonworking vacation in the complete nation.
The proclamation goals to “give the members of Iglesia ni Cristo the complete alternative to take part within the event.”
Recognized for the “bloc voting” energy of its members, INC endorsed the “UniTeam” of Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte within the 2022 elections. The formidable tandem received by a landslide.
INC is the third-largest non secular group within the nation with 2.8 million members, in response to the federal government census in 2020. Roman Catholics are the predominant group with over 85 million adopted by practically 7 million Muslims.
Bitter breakup
INC had appeared to be at odds with the Marcos administration, after the President’s allies within the Home of Representatives pushed for the submitting of an impeachment case in opposition to Vice President Sara Duterte.
Following Duterte’s bitter breakup with the administration, Marcos in December shunned plans to question Duterte, though he had warned his authorities was taking significantly her on-line remarks that she had organized the assassination of Mr. Marcos, his spouse Liza Araneta-Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez ought to an alleged plot to kill her succeed.
Regardless of the INC staging a “nationwide rally for peace” on Jan. 13 opposing Duterte’s impeachment, the decrease chamber submitted the articles of impeachment to the Senate on Feb. 5.
The impeachment criticism was filed by 215 members of the Home, or greater than one-third of its members, setting forth for the impeachment trial to be performed by the Senate.
Duterte’s arrest
INC additionally criticized the March 11 arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his subsequent detention at The Hague over a crimes in opposition to humanity case filed in opposition to him earlier than the Worldwide Felony Court docket.
It referred to as the transfer as politicking and expressed dismay that the folks in cost within the present administration “didn’t take heed to the decision of INC.”
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The non secular group maintained that the previous president ought to have been tried earlier than a neighborhood courtroom. /cb
