Escudero lauds INC rally: Call for peace, unity is what PH needs now
FILE PHOTO: Senate President Francis Escudero answers questions from the media during the Kapihan sa Senado on Thursday, October 10, 2024. Noy Morcoso/好色先生TV
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero commended the rally of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) on Monday, noting that a call for peace and unity is needed by the country now.
Escudero told reporters in a text message that a prayer rally for peace and unity is non-debatable.
“Who wouldn’t want that?” the Senate leader said.
“I surely want that. [A] huge majority of our people as well, whether they are physically present at the prayer rally today or not, are demanding for nothing less among our leaders at the very least,” he also stressed.
The INC said its “National Rally for Peace” at the Quirino Grandstand on Monday, Jan. 13, was organized to express its support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s opposition to the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Escudero said he does not find it productive to throw or address questions and issues that seek to “diminish a much-needed call for peace and unity in our country at this time.”
Earlier, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin expressed hope the INC rally would help clarify issues and contribute to real unity.
READ: ES Bersamin hopes INC rally will help clarify issues, bring unity
Bersamin also said peaceful assembly is a “bedrock right guaranteed by our Constitution” that the Marcos administration consistently upholds.
At the rally venue, members said the INC rally was not a political assembly but a call for peace between Marcos and Duterte.
READ: INC rally: Members call for peace between Sara Duterte, Bongbong Marcos
Escudero said he will not attend the INC rally in Manila, but noted that he was tapped to record a short video message for the event.
In November, President Marcos admitted to reporters that he called on his supporters in Congress to drop any plan to impeach Vice President Duterte, as this would distract both the House of Representatives and the Senate from more urgent work.
“This is not important. This does not make any difference to even one single Filipino life. So, why waste time on this?” Marcos said then.
Three separate impeachment complaints have already been filed against Duterte before the House of Representatives. All impeachment complaints remain unendorsed to the House committee on justice as of writing.
