Iglesia protesters show defiance, occupy Edsa Ortigas

INC members told to occupy Edsa as a show of force, saying that they are more than 4,500. ARIES HEGINA/INQUIRER.net

MEMBERS of the Iglesia Ni Cristo who are protesting the alleged meddling of the Department of Justice in their internal affairs have defied the government permit that was granted to them.

In a move to show their growing number, the members of the INC occupied both the northbound and southbound lanes of Edsa Ortigas to the north and Edsa-Boni to the south.

The unnamed emcee instructed the church members to occupy Edsa, saying that they should not believe the crowd estimate of the police which was pegged at 4,500 as of 4:30 p.m.

“Humarang tayo sa buong Edsa para ipakita kung gaano tayo karami! (Let us occupy Edsa to show our number!),” the emcee said.

The government permit issued by the Mandaluyong City government to the INC was limited only to Edsa-Shaw intersection which should hold 4,800 people.

The permit will expire at 12 midnight on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the emcee also told INC members to ask law enforcers not to block their march and instead join them in seeking justice for the 44 Special Action Forces who perished in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in a botched counter-terrorist operation last January.

The protest of the Philippine-based religious group is now on its fourth day. The gathering seeks to bar the Department of Justice from investigating the alleged kidnapping of some INC ministers.

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