Thousands of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) members stayed overnight at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, mobilizing early on Monday, November 17, for the second day of their three-day anti-corruption rally in Manila.
Among the attendees are families, youth groups, and elderly members from nearby provinces, saying that staying overnight was vital for them to secure space and participate in the day’s activities.
Reports said that public facilities were heavily used throughout the night, with long queues forming at restrooms inside the grandstand, while several portable toilets placed around the area reportedly began to overflow.
Organizers said that they expect larger crowds to arrive from Metro Manila and surrounding regions for Monday’s activities.
For his part, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said no police officers were deployed with firearms in or around the grandstand, adding that arrangements with INC organizers proceeded smoothly after the group requested that police personnel be pulled back from the area.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported that the first day of the three-day scheduled rallies in Metro Manila was ‘generally peaceful’.
As of 10 p.m. on Sunday, November 16, the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) estimated that about 120,000 participants remained within the Quirino Grandstand vicinity.
The rally is expected to continue until tomorrow, November 18.
