Flexing

After the calamities, it is back to the streets.

- ALEX MAGNO

The influential Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) is not missing a beat. The religious sect is mobilizing for three days of protest next week. The planned protests will likely include other religious groups that have lately moved closer to its center of gravity.

Earlier this year, the INC held a million-person rally to express its objections to the impeachment proceedings initiated against Vice President Sara Duterte. The impeachment proceedings were rather sloppily put together at the House of Representatives. The Supreme Court eventually ruled that the impeachment effort violated constitutional rules.

When the INC mobilized against the Sara impeachment, it made clear that the sect would have no part in the political games orchestrated by the ruling faction. The leadership of the sect made no secret of its distaste for the agenda of dynastic continuity that animated the sloppy impeachment proceedings.

The shelving of the impeachment in the face of the High Court's ruling is a win for the INC. In addition to the shelving of the impeachment, the INC also saw its political stocks rise in the midterm elections. Despite heavy partisan spending on various cash assistance programs, the pro-Marcos candidates fared poorly.

Meanwhile, epic looting of infrastructure funds produced the biggest corruption scandal to date. The administration, along with its closest allies in Congress, were set back by the sheer magnitude of the corruption scandal. It does not seem likely that the House of Representatives would bother to initiate further moves against the Vice President. The political climate has changed dramatically.