Layout by: Kyla Dacanay
Published by: Kyla Shane Recullo
Date Published: July 1, 2026
Time Published: 9:50 PM
Thousands of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) gathered along EDSA in Quezon City on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, as the rally reached 14,000 attendees in support of Senator Rodante Marcoleta amid his pending plunder case.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported that around 13,500 people gathered at the junction of White Plains Avenue and EDSA northbound, while 600 others occupied the southbound area near Connecticut Street.
The rally was held to defend Marcoleta, who faces a possible plunder complaint over alleged ₱75-million campaign donations during the 2025 senatorial elections.
INC spokesperson Edwil Zabala said that the church supports transparency, accountability, and justice, while criticizing what it called "selective justice."
They argued that Marcoleta, who had previously investigated alleged irregularities in government projects, should not face prosecution while other individuals accused of corruption remain unpunished.
The gathering caused heavy traffic along major EDSA routes as rallyists occupied portions of the road. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) closed White Plains Avenue and said the protest had no permit or prior coordination with authorities.
To maintain peace and order, the Quezon City Police District deployed around 2,166 police officers in the area. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also canceled his morning activities to monitor the situation, according to the Presidential Communications Office.
Government officials said the case against Marcoleta would proceed through the legal process, while the INC continued to call for transparency, accountability, and justice during the mass protest.
REFERENCES:
Inquirer Net. (2026, June 30) | INC airs support for Marcoleta, hits ‘selective justice’
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2255008/inc-airs-support-for-marcoleta-hits-selective-justice
Tribune Net. (2026, June 30) | INC defends Marcoleta, vows to keep pressing for accountability as rally without permit snarls EDSA
https://tribune.net.ph/2026/06/30/inc-defends-marcoleta-vows-to-keep-pressing-for-accountability-as-rally-without-permit-snarls-edsa
Philstar (2026, June 30) | Marcos cancels morning events to monitor INC rally that swarmed EDSA
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2026/06/30/2538857/marcos-cancels-morning-events-monitor-inc-rally-swarmed-edsa
Inquirer Net. (2026, June 30) | PNP: INC EDSA rally crowd grows to over 14,000 as of 4 p.m.
https://share.google/Yp4u6zDcdBh8lqcj6

















