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Look: Metro Manila disrupted by INC protest over pro-Duterte senator's graft case
Rallyists along Edsa had grown to more than 9,000, while a parallel protest at Liwasang Bonifacio had drawn more than 2,000 participants as of 8am Philippine time, according to police
- PUBLISHED: Tue 30 Jun 2026, 4:55 AM UPDATED: Tue 30 Jun 2026, 5:13 AM
The Philippines woke up on Tuesday to surprise rallies by a religious group on Metro Manila’s main thoroughfare, blocking traffic just as the city was preparing for another workday.
Thousands of protesters converged at the People Power Monument along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (Edsa) in Quezon City and Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila before dawn, apparently to protest the announced filing of plunder charges against prominent Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) member and known ally of Vice President Sara Duterte, senator Rodante Marcoleta.
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Motorists have been stopped in the middle of the road by the protesters’ vehicles as police and traffic enforcers tried to manage the chaos. Passengers have been advised to take alternate routes to their destinations and avoid Edsa when travelling to work or school.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has cancelled his scheduled engagements in Manila and Makati today, said Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Dave Gomez, adding: "The President is monitoring the situation in Edsa."
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Philippine National Police–National Capital Region commander Major General Anthony Aberin said the rallyists along Edsa — reportedly members of the INC — had grown to more than 9,000, while a parallel rally at Liwasang Bonifacio had drawn more than 2,000 participants as of 8am Philippine time.
What is the issue?
Philippine Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday announced that plunder charges will be filed against Senator Rodante Marcoleta, a known ally of Vice President Sara Duterte, before the country's anti-graft court.
If arrested, the senator would be automatically jailed because the offence is non-bailable.
The case stems from the alleged non-disclosure of P75 million (Dh4.62 million) in campaign donations accepted from former lawmaker Mike Defensor and certain businessmen during the 2025 elections.
Ironically, it was Marcoleta himself who admitted to not reporting the funds to the Commission on Elections during a television programme aired on an INC-controlled television station early this year.
What are the implications if the senator is arrested?
If arrested, Marcoleta would join fellow senator Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada in jail, further reducing the number of pro-Duterte senator-judges in the impeachment trial of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte. The trial is scheduled to begin on Monday, July 6.
INC members view Marcoleta's arrest as an affront to their church, which is politically influential through bloc voting and the appointment of prominent members to senior government positions. Marcoleta is widely seen as the INC's representative in Congress, having served as a multi-term representative and now as a senator.
The INC endorsed the tandem of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Duterte in the 2022 presidential election. The group chose to remain aligned with Duterte after she split with Marcos just a year and a half into their administration.
Political observers noted Tuesday morning's action signals the INC's open defiance of and resistance to the Marcos administration. The group has previously organised rallies against the president, but those were held in public parks and on weekends.