MANILA (July 3) — Gridlock and a wave of online backlash greeted the Iglesia ni Cristo’s (INC) pre-dawn protest on Tuesday, with critics questioning the religious group’s show of force after the demonstration disrupted major roads and, they argued, placed political interests ahead of the daily struggles of ordinary Filipinos.
As traffic ground to a halt along EDSA and other key thoroughfares, social media was flooded with posts condemning the rally, with many questioning why thousands of commuters and workers had to bear the cost of a demonstration widely perceived as supporting embattled Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, who is facing a plunder complaint.
Opposition party-list Akbayan pointed to Marcoleta’s own previous statements, arguing that they weakened his defense.
“Just a reminder: Marcoleta admitted the allegations against him. He is the strongest evidence against himself,” the group said in a Facebook post.
Former congressman Gary Alejano likewise questioned whether the right to protest should come at the expense of the public.
“Can people legally shout and protest without disturbing others?” Alejano asked in Filipino, alleging that the gathering was intended to shield Marcoleta and show support for Vice President Sara Duterte ahead of her impeachment trial.
For many caught in the traffic, the issue was less about politics than about lost time, missed work and disrupted livelihoods.
Political activist and vlogger Lovely Granada accused the demonstrators of contradicting their professed concern for ordinary Filipinos.
“You pretend to care for the struggles of the poor, but you’ve disrupted the lives of countless people who simply want to earn a living,” she wrote on Facebook. “You have every right to protest, but you do not have the right to make the public suffer even more.”
Social and Behavior Change Specialist Vonn Tanchuan echoed the frustration after his usual 30- to 40-minute commute stretched to more than an hour and a half because of the road closures.
“I support—and have even joined—protests because they are essential to a functioning democracy,” Tanchuan wrote. “But when a rally is used for something pointless, like defending crooks in government, it serves no meaningful purpose.”
Beyond the traffic congestion, some observers viewed the demonstration as a test of political influence.
Lawyer Edward Chico of the Asian Center for Legal Excellence described the protest as a “crucible test” for both the INC and the Marcos administration, saying its outcome could reveal whether the influential religious organization still possesses enough political clout to shape the government’s handling of the complaints against Marcoleta.
“Whether or not the INC this time around can force Malacañang to drop the charges against Marcoleta or at the very least delay the preliminary investigation regarding his plunder case remains to be seen,” Chico wrote on Facebook.
The rally, which began around 4 a.m., drew thousands of participants, including former congressman Mike Defensor, Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste and Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.
While the demonstration underscored the constitutional right to peaceful assembly, it also reignited debate over where that right ends when protests significantly disrupt public mobility and economic activity. For many Filipinos online, Tuesday’s rally became less a display of civic participation than a stark illustration of the tension between political mobilization and the everyday burdens borne by ordinary citizens.
