MANILA – The Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) does not take sides in the political rift between President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio.
This was made clear by a prominent member of the religious sect ahead of yesterday’s INC National Rally for Peace at the Quirino Grandstand, which drew over a million participants.
“The INC does not take sides. That is a categorical answer there,” Sagip party-list’s Cong. Rodante Marcoleta said in an interview with the Bilyonaryo News Channel’s At The Forefront program.
He added: “The INC would not take sides. The INC would like to see people like the Vice President and the President work together. That is the essence of good government.”
Marcoleta further said the INC rally aimed to promote peace and unity amid political tensions.
“I think it is only a peace rally advocating… it’s a rally for peace, that’s all. I think the INC wants to send a message across the nation that peace is a factor in achieving development and progress in this country,” Marcoleta said. “Because INC believes that peace can only be achieved by uniting our people, and this unity can be best demonstrated by our leaders.”
The Marcos-Duterte tandem, dubbed as Uniteam, won overwhelmingly in the 2022 elections, with Marcos getting 31 million votes and Duterte 32 million.
Cracks in the Marcos and Duterte-Carpio partnership began to show in 2023 when the House of Representatives under Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez – Marcos’ cousin – removed former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as senior deputy speaker. The Vice President responded by bolting Lakas-CMD, Romualdez’s party.
Earlier last year, former President Rodrigo Duterte accused President Marcos of using illegal drugs in a prayer rally in Davao City. His allegations were denied by the President.
First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos then said in an interview that Duterte-Carpio was a “bad shot” to her; the Vice President was caught on camera laughing while her father verbally attacked the President in a Davao event.
Duterte-Carpio then tendered her resignation from her Cabinet posts in the Department of Education and National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict./PN
