Philippine National Police–National Capital Region Police Office (PNP-NCRPO) chief Brigadier General Anthony Aberin personally instructed his officers to step back during the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) “Rally for Transparency and Better Democracy” on Sunday at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.

Around 9:00 a.m., INC Minister Erdz Cudera took the microphone and addressed the crowd, urging PNP personnel to leave the immediate vicinity of the grandstand.

"Mapayapa ito. Nagpaalam kami sa gobyerno. May permit kami! Wag kami ang tiktikan mo," Cudera said.
"Yung mga pulis, kunin nyo ang mga pangalan. Kapag nalaman nyong hindi atin, tandaan nyo," he added.

Minutes later, General Aberin’s voice was heard directing his men to move to the perimeter outside the grandstand, as confirmed by INC spokesperson and Minister of the Gospel Brother Edwil Zabala to the Daily Tribune.

Zabala emphasized that the three-day event has secured permits from both local and national authorities.

By 11:00 a.m., around 27,000 INC members had gathered at the grandstand, enduring the midday heat.

Zabala earlier clarified that the rally is not intended to interfere in politics but to express the sect’s sentiment and “lend the voice of the Iglesia Ni Cristo to the calls of many of our countrymen condemning the enormous evil involving many government officials.”

"The call of the Iglesia Ni Cristo is part of the citizens’ right to express themselves, which is guaranteed by our Constitution," he said.

"We are appealing to the government to conduct a just and open investigation of all who are allegedly involved so that the perpetrators will be held accountable and the funds that they have stolen will be returned to the public coffers," Zabala added.

The first-day program of the rally is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m. Ministers of the Iglesia Ni Cristo are expected to speak, but non-INC individuals whose proposed speeches align with the INC’s message are also welcome, Zabala said.