The first main speaker in Iglesia Ni Cristo’s (INC) rally for “transparency for a better democracy” on Sunday, November 16, rejected calls for extra-legal means in addressing the flood corruption scandal under the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administration.
In his speech, Brother Bienvenido Santiago Jr., INC minister of the gospel, demanded transparency, accountability, and justice, but made it clear that the religious group was against any extra-constitutional steps, including the holding of snap elections or the setting up of a civilian-military junta.
Excerpts below:
“Nanawagan din tayo na yung mga hakbang na gagawin ay dapat makatarungan at dapat sang-ayon sa Saligang Batas. (The steps that should be taken should be just and in accordance with the Constitution.)
“Hindi tayo sang-ayon sa ano mang solusyon na labag sa Konstitusyon. (We are against any solution that is against the Constitution.)
“Hindi tayo sang-ayon sa rebolusyon. (We are not in favor of revolution.)
“Hindi tayo sang-ayon sa revolutionary government. (We are not in favor of a revolutionary government.)
“Hindi tao sang-ayon sa coup d’etat. (We are not in favor of a coup d’etat.)
“Hindi tayo sang-ayon sa snap elections. (We are against snap elections.)
“Hindi tayo sang-ayon sa paglalagay ng civilian-military junta. (We are against the establishment of a civilian-military junta.)
“Basta yung hakbang magbubunga ng karahasan at kaguluhan, hindi tayo sang-ayon diyan. (Any step that will lead to violence and chaos, we are against those.)
“Ang gusto natin, lahat ng solusyon, lahat ng hakbang, dapat sumunod sa paraang legal at payapa. (What we want, all solutions, all steps should be legal and should follow peaceful means.)
“Gusto namin maliwanag sa lahat, hindi po natin hinahanggad ang pag bagsak ng ating pamahalaan bilang institutsyon. (We want to make it clear to all, we do not wish the fall of our government as an institution.)
“Sana maliwanag yan sa lahat. Ang nais natin ay ang pagbagsak ng katiwalian. (We hope that is clear to all. What we want is to eradicate corruption.)
“Ang nais natin, ang pagtataguyod ng isang pamahalang tapat at makamamamayan. (We want to promote a clean and pro-people government.)
“Yung mga masasamang pinuno, yung mga tiwaling opisyal, yan ang dapat alisin.” (The bad leaders, the corrupt officials, those are the ones who should be removed.)
