Aquino refuses to view Iglesia ni Cristo rally as a political move

TO THE RESCUE President Aquino looks on as the University of Santo Tomas rector, Fr. Rolando V. de la Rosa, untangles the UST flag from the tip of a cadet’s rifle as the national color is brought in at the start of the 4th National Congress of the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (Cocopea) at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila on Tuesday. GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday shrugged off suggestions that  the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) was sending a subtle political message to him amid a determined Malacañang drive to oust Chief Justice Renato Corona as an obstacle to the administration’s reform program.

Mr. Aquino insisted that the unprecedented gatherings of  INC faithful in Manila and other major cities were, as billed by organizers, a “Bible exposition” and that these were part of celebrations leading up to the religious sect’s centennial anniversary in 2014.

“These are the building actions toward that very grand event that they want,” he said.

Since the INC announced plans for Tuesday’s gathering, the Palace and President Aquino himself had dismissed speculations that the religious sect, whose political clout had been demonstrated in past elections with its millions of members voting as a single block, was launching an event in support of Corona.

Subtle message

The President, who attended the 4th National Congress of the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, was asked by reporters if he sensed that the INC was sending him a subtle message.

“How about the number who are supportive of our efforts? I think you should also mention that,” Mr. Aquino replied, ostensibly referring to his high popularity ratings in surveys conducted by Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia.

He said that the INC’s “official communication” to the Palace said yesterday’s gatherings were “part of their religious obligations and part of their faith,” although he noted that some quarters were saying that there was “a political dimension” to the rallies.

“Like any other adherence to a particular faith, you would want … to gain more and more adherence. Like this is your view of the truth and you would want to share that also. So they want a very significant centennial celebration in two years’ time and they have deemed this as necessary to lead to that,” he added.

When asked if he was invited by the INC to attend the rally at Quirino Grandstand, the President said he had been told that everyone was invited to the gathering because this was “part of the evangelization work” of the religious sect.