Two identical videos circulating on Facebook and TikTok are falsely claiming that the protest rally organized by the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) over the weekend was part of a plot to oust President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. This is not true.
The videos published on social media on Nov. 16 carried the following caption, indirectly linking the rallies to a supposed attempt to oust Marcos. It read:
“Coup Threat CONFIRMED! AFP Chief Hints, Palace Shades VP Sara. Sa isang interview, AFP Chief Romeo Brawner tila nagbabadya ng banta ng kudeta o iba pang extra-constitutional moves laban kay President Bongbong Marcos
(In an interview, AFP Chief Romeo Brawner seems to be warning of a coup threat or other extra-constitutional moves against President Bongbong Marcos).”
The following text was also superimposed throughout the video’s two-minute runtime:
“Is INC part of the coup plot vs BBM? Gusto ba nilang ipalit si Pyona na kurap, tamad, at confidential funds queen? (Do they want to replace Marcos with [Vice President Sara Duterte] who is corrupt, lazy and a confidential funds queen?)”
The video flashed clips from the protest, then played a soundbite of Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. saying the military will not support those who seek to stage a coup.
Bienvenido Santiago Jr., general evangelist of the INC, said in his Nov. 16 opening speech that the two-day rally was focused solely on calling for transparency and accountability in the investigations on the flood control corruption scandal and that they were doing so through legal and constitutional means.
He emphasized that the protest action was not in any way meant to destabilize or overthrow the government.
“Habang hinahangad natin ang katotohanan at hustisya, ayaw natin – uulitin namin – ayaw natin na magbunga ito ng karahasan at kaguluhan. Ang layunin natin ay kapayapaan para sa ating bansa,” Santiago said.
He added that the INC disagrees with any action that is “against the Constitution,” such as revolution, coup, snap election or military junta, in exposing corruption within the government.
“Ang gusto natin ang lahat ng solusyon at hakbang dapat sumunod sa paraang legal at payapa,” he said, clarifying that the rally is a public call for accountability of government officials accused of stealing or misusing public funds.
The INC rallies ended on Nov. 17, a day short of the initially planned three days of anti-corruption protests. No violent incidents were reported by the media or the police while the rally was ongoing.
The videos emerged after resigned Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co alleged in a three-part recorded statement posted on his official FB page that Marcos got P25 billion in kickbacks from the P100 billion worth of budget insertions in the 2025 national budget.
FB page Vincenton (created on March 18, 2010) and TikTok page thedailynetizen published the spurious videos, collectively garnering over 400 reactions, 160 comments and 25,000 views.
