Members of the religious sect Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) shout slogans during a protest against the Justice Department, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015 in the suburban Mandaluyong city east of Manila, Philippines.聽 AP
The head of the Eastern Police District vowed聽on Sunday聽to continue negotiating for a 鈥減eaceful dispersal鈥� of the Iglesia Ni Cristo rally along Edsa, should the Mandaluyong City government disallow the extension of the sect鈥檚 rally up to聽Monday聽(Aug. 31).
Senior Supt. Elmer Jamias, the Eastern Police District director, issued the statement, as thousands of INC members continued to mass up along Edsa even if their rally permit would expire by聽midnight聽of聽Sunday.
Earlier聽on Sunday, Jamias, said that with the permit issued to them by Mandaluyong City Hall聽on Saturday, there was no way the sect could bring 1 million members to the approved rally area at Edsa Crossing.
Jamias noted that the permit issued to the INC only covered a protest area of 1,200 square meters.
At four persons per square meter, Jamias said that the maximum capacity of the allowed protest area could accommodate only 4,800 persons.
But at聽4:30 p.m.聽on Sunday, in an apparent challenge to Jamias鈥� statement, members of the INC reached 4,500 individuals, with some members standing along the stretch of the northbound lane of Edsa.
Earlier, Mandaluyong Mayor Benhur Abalos told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in a phone interview that he had not received 鈥減ersonally鈥� a request from the INC to extend their rally permit.
Abalos said he鈥檇 be at the rally site at around聽8 p.m.聽on Sunday, to ensure the sect abide by the expiration of their rally permit聽Sunday聽night.
Asked if City Hall would allow an extension of the rally permit, Abalos said 鈥渨e鈥檒l see.鈥�
However, at around聽5:30 p.m.聽on Sunday, thousands of INC members walked toward Ortigas Avenue in an apparent show of force.
Jamias said they would 鈥渃ontinue negotiations鈥� for a peaceful dispersal should Mandaluyong disallow the extension of the rally and the group refuse to leave Edsa.
Some of the protesters who stayed overnight at Edsa slept in tents. A mobile phone charging station has also been set up in the protest area for the use of INC members, proof that the religious sect prepared to conduct the rally for a few more days.
ABS-CBN journalist and Iglesia ni Cristo member Anthony Taberna and his wife, Rossel. PHOTO by Aries Joseph Hegina/黑料社
After appearing onstage at the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) rally at Edsa聽on Sunday, broadcast journalist Anthony Taberna announced that he has temporarily left his two programs in his home station.
Taberna, an 鈥渁ctive member鈥� of the INC, posted聽Sunday聽afternoon on the photo-sharing site Instagram that he was taking a leave of absence from his ABS-CBN radio program 鈥淒os Por Dos鈥� and morning show 鈥淯magang kay Ganda鈥� following the issues surrounding the religious sect.
鈥淎s an active member of the Iglesia ni Cristo, I am in a situation wherein I may not be credible in discussing issues surrounding it,鈥� Taberna said in Filipino. He added he would like to avoid a potential conflict of interest between his 鈥渞eligious belief and duty as a journalist.鈥�
Taberna, who appeared onstage with wife Rossel at the INC rally at Edsa Crossing shortly past聽1 p.m.聽said his company accepted his leave of absence, which started聽on Sunday聽and would last until the resolution of the INC issues.
In his brief appearance, the hard-hitting journalist said that they 鈥渨eren鈥檛 forced鈥� to go to the rally site.
鈥淲e鈥檙e all tired. We could鈥檝e stayed in our homes but because we love Iglesia ni Cristo we will continue to fight for it,鈥� he said.
The protest of INC members, which entered its fourth day on Sunday, stemmed from Justice Secretary Leila de Lima鈥檚 supposed 鈥渆xtraordinary attention鈥� given to the illegal detention, harassment and coercion complaints filed by expelled minister Isaias Samson Jr. last Tuesday, against members of the INC governing council.
Taberna, Samson鈥檚 nephew, made no mention of his uncle during his short speech.
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