A YouTube video claims that religious sect Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC), along with members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) and other groups, staged a rally in EDSA, where popular protests have been held. This is false.
EDSA was not one of the 13 locations where the INC’s “National Rally for Peace” was held on Jan. 13.
The video was uploaded on Jan. 12, a day before the rally took place. Its headline read:
“NagkaguL0 na? Palasy0 Kamara UMATRAS na? Nagsama-sama na Lahat IGLESIA KOJC ibat-ibang Grup0 sa Edsa (All messed up? Palace Congress stepped back. Everyone united Iglesia, KOJC, other groups in EDSA).”
Its thumbnail bore the text: “SANEB-PWERSA SA EDSA. ITO NA ANG PINAKA-ANTAY NG LAHAT! PIPOL POWERS RALLY NASA EDSA (Join forces in EDSA. This is what everyone is waiting for! People Power rally in EDSA)?”
As early as Jan. 8, the venue of the INC’s “National Rally for Peace” in Metro Manila was already set at the Quirino Grandstand. According to the Philippine National Police, an estimated 1.8 million joined the Jan. 13 rally in Manila.
KOJC, another religious sect headed by televangelist Apollo Quiboloy who is currently imprisoned for sexual abuse and trafficking charges, said around 300,000 of its members attended the INC protest in Davao City.
According to INC Spokesperson Edwil Zabala, the rally was “not political.” A press release from the sect’s website said the protest was organized in support of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s opposition to impeachment moves against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Duterte, in a video statement, thanked the INC for organizing the rally.
The video is merely a clickbait that showed a previously fact-checked vlogger criticizing efforts to impeach the vice president.
Uploaded by YouTube channel PINAS NEWS INSIDER, the erroneous video received 160,601 interactions.
