Chaos descended on Metro Manila this Tuesday as thousands of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) members took to the streets, effectively paralyzing major thoroughfares like EDSA during the morning rush. The massive, unannounced protest was triggered by the Ombudsman’s decision to file non-bailable plunder charges against Senator Rodante Marcoleta, an influential ally of Vice President Sara Duterte. The allegations center on Marcoleta's admitted failure to disclose P75 million in campaign donations during the 2025 elections. As traffic ground to a halt, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. canceled his scheduled events to monitor the mounting unrest, while police reported that over 11,000 protesters had converged across Quezon City and Manila.

Political analysts suggest this mobilization is more than just a defense of a member; it marks a significant shift in the INC's relationship with the Marcos administration. Because the charges against Marcoleta carry a penalty of non-bailable imprisonment, his potential arrest would strip the Duterte camp of a key vote in the upcoming impeachment trial against the Vice President. Given the INC’s history of powerful bloc voting and its strategic alliance with the Duterte faction, this show of defiance appears to be a calculated signal of resistance, signaling that the religious group is ready to challenge the status quo to protect its political interests.