Cagayan gears up for INC peace rallies

Cagayan de Oro City — Millions of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) members across the Philippines are expected to converge in various locations nationwide for a massive “Rally for Peace” on Sunday, city officials and INC leaders announced Friday.

In Cagayan de Oro City, officials from the City Road and Traffic Administration and the city police met with INC leaders to discuss logistics for the local gathering, which will be held at Plaza Divisoria.

“The rally will occupy the entire Divisoria area, and we have agreed on road closures to ensure the smooth flow of traffic,” said Nonito Oclarit, head of the RTA.

INC Minister Arnulfo Jurado assured that the gathering would be peaceful and orderly.

“We are rallying for peace, not calling for any unrest,” Jurado said during the meeting. He confirmed that similar mass actions will be held across the country.

An undetermined number of buses have been booked to transport delegations from the provinces of Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, and Camiguin, as well as the cities of Iligan, Malaybalay, Ozamis, Gingoog, and Oroquieta, to the rally site in Cagayan de Oro City.

A source told DAILY TRIBUNE that the main rally will be held at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, with delegations from the National Capital Region and Central Luzon expected to converge there.

Similar rallies are scheduled to take place in Davao City for Southern Mindanao, Butuan City for the Caraga region, Cebu City, Ormoc City, Tacloban City, Palawan, and various locations in the Ilocos Region.

The source said the “Rally for Peace” will also be held in the United States and other parts of the world.

The source also indicated that other groups advocating for peace will be conducting their own mass actions to express their support for the cause.