CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — The City Information Office (CIO) clarified on Wednesday, July 2, that no request or letter seeking permission to hold an Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) rally in the city has been submitted to City Hall.
City Information Officer Jade Adecer said that as of 11:20 a.m., the Office of the City Administrator had not received any request for a rally permit or coordination related to a possible INC gathering in Cagayan de Oro.
The clarification came following reports circulating on social media about a possible local rally.
City officials said they issued the statement in response to public inquiries, especially since Cagayan de Oro previously hosted the INC National Peace Rally in January 2025, which was coordinated with local government offices and concerned agencies.
As of press time, the city government maintained that no permit application or formal request concerning an INC assembly in the city had been filed.
Meanwhile, thousands of INC members continued to participate in a mass rally in Metro Manila in support of Senator Rodante Marcoleta amid reports that plunder charges may be filed against him.
Organizers described the gathering as a show of solidarity and a call for what they said was the fair and impartial application of the law.
The rally, which entered its second day on July 1, prompted heavy security and traffic management measures from authorities due to the large number of participants.
The Quezon City government had earlier granted a permit for the gathering along White Plains Avenue, with officials expecting a massive turnout.
Malacañang said the administration respects the right to peaceful assembly while emphasizing that any legal proceedings involving Marcoleta fall under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Ombudsman. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also proceeded with his scheduled official activities despite the ongoing rally.
On July 2, organizers transferred the rally to Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila after the Quezon City government withdrew the permit for a third day of assembly along EDSA, citing traffic congestion and public inconvenience.
Quezon City officials said the decision came after complaints from commuters, workers, and businesses affected by the gathering.
