Makabayan's attack on INC peace rally unmasks their hypocrisy

January 15, 2025

The NTF-ELCAC strongly condemns ACT Teachers Partylist's France Castro and the rest of the Makabayan bloc for belittling the peace rally conducted by the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) on Monday, January 13. In insinuating that this nationwide demonstration for peace and unity was merely a ploy to shield Vice President Sara Duterte, Makabayan and its self-anointed mouthpiece are insulting the millions of Filipinos who participated in these rallies across the country.

Ironically, those who repeatedly invoke "freedom of expression" are the same ones who now attack a large gathering simply because it does not coincide with their interests. Bayan chairperson and former Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño, along with PAMALAKAYA vice chairman Ronnel Arambulo, have even gone so far as to claim that the rally was staged to provide "political salvation" for the Dutertes.

The INC rally gathered over a million people across the nation, a feat that the Makabayan bloc could only dream of achieving. Castro and her allies are being hounded by the reality that their "mass actions" have dwindled in size and relevance. Once, they could claim grassroots support, but now, the Filipino people have rejected their outdated and divisive rhetoric.

Suppose Makabayan truly believed in freedom of expression. Why, then, do they cry foul when their poorly attended protests are questioned—not for their advocacy of human rights, but for their clear alignment with the CTGs' political directives? Why do they pretend to champion democracy when their actions—such as their politically motivated impeachment stunt—are meant to sow division rather than promote genuine accountability?

Clearly, Castro and Makabayan only recognize freedom of expression when it aligns with their narrative. All other perspectives are suspect. Even the perspective of millions of Filipinos who seek peace and stability, not endless agitation and conflict.

Realizing the folly of her reckless words, Castro is now backpedaling. But the damage has been done. She has unmasked herself and the entire Makabayan bloc for their hypocrisy. It likewise reveals a more important truth: they are becoming desperate because they have lost their foothold on the ground. So now, they lash out—not because they are being silenced, but because fewer and fewer Filipinos are willing to listen to their lies. Undersecretary Ernesto C Torres Jr.

Executive Director, NTF ELCAC