Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile described last week’s Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) rally as a form of “political pressure” aimed at discouraging a branch of government from fulfilling its constitutional duties, despite the assembly remaining peaceful.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, Enrile clarified that he holds no opposition to the INC and recognizes that every individual in the country, regardless of religious affiliation, has the constitutional right to peaceably assemble and “petition the government for redress of grievances.”

He warned that yielding to the implied arguments presented during the rally could set a “very detrimental” precedent for the country.

“There is no question that the INC peace rally was a peaceful assembly. But were there ‘GRIEVANCES’ to be redressed? Pardon me for my impression — to me, there was none,” he stated.

He continued, “To me, although it was well-intentioned, the peace rally was more like political pressure to hinder a separate and independent department of the government from performing a constitutional duty. This was evident from the speeches delivered in that rally.”

Enrile further explained that only the President has the authority and responsibility to coordinate with the legislative and judicial branches to ensure the government’s efficient operation.

“The President, as the duly elected Chief Executive of the land, and one of the three independent and separate branches of our government, has the power and duty to coordinate with the two other branches of our government to achieve and maintain unity and harmony in the efficient operation of the government in our society. No one can do that officially except him,” he emphasized.

An estimated 1.5 million INC members gathered at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, Manila, for the National Rally for Peace on 13 January.

The event called for unity amid the ongoing political rift between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte and aimed to support Marcos’ rejection of impeachment moves against Duterte.