Church and State 3, Iglesia ni Cristo is NOT above the law

But the leaders and members of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) think they are above the law, that the law against road occupation, especially Edsa, may apply to other groups but not to them.

Rule of law vs. welfarism. Many INC members who went to Edsa were recipients of various welfare programs and now lambast the government. One more proof that when government is lousy in enforcing the rule of law, it can be lousy and wasteful in its populism and welfarism.

I was one of their millions of Edsa traffic victims. Last night, Sunday, my bus from Pangasinan arrived at Cubao terminal around 12 midnight. Immediately I sensed a problem. Very few metro buses going south, the taxis were haggling for higher price, few “ordinary” cars but there were many provincial jeepneys and buses plying Gapan-Cabanatuan, Lubao-Angeles, Dagupan-La Union, etc. And there were many vans too that appeared to be full of people.

I sensed that they were Iglesia members wanting to further choke usually traffic-choke Edsa. After waiting for about 25 minutes, I was able to ride a south-bound bus. There were many people walking in Cubao going south. At Camp Crame, I saw many parked provincial jeepneys, buses and vans. Our bus was crawling. I saw many New Era University buses (Iglesia-owned) carrying many passengers. I think those were among the hakot buses.

There were also many vehicles, provincial jeepneys and buses, parked on the other side, north-bound, of Edsa. At Ortigas flyover, south-bound traffic has finally halted, past 1am already, Our bus went to C5, we managed to evade the Iglesia mob rule at Edsa-Crossing. We exited at Edsa Buendia. Magaling, si Sec. de Lima kaaway nyo, dinamay nyo milyon pa na ibang Pilipino. I arrived home past 2am.

Last Saturday midnight, around 2:30am, I travelled to Cubao to go to a provincial bus terminal in Cubao. Edsa-Crossing was closed, blocked by MMDA vehicles and officers. I think there were very few Iglesia rallyists at Edsa-crossing. Is MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino an Iglesia member too? His boys are busy apprehending and penalizing many motorists in Edsa for "obstruction of traffic" and other traffic violations. But these Iglesia militants blocking a big portion of Edsa are allowed and guarded by his boys.

Mob rule can beat rule of law anytime when governments are too busy with so many functions, state-owned businesses and welfarist/populist functions. Penalizing motorists even for minor traffic "violation" (and they created lots of prohibitions and restrictions; more prohibitions, more potential violators, more fines and extortion) that transform traffic officers into tax and fine collectors, good business. When real traffic violators like a mob occupying a very busy road come in, those "public servants" chicken out.

The Iglesia leaders and their followers always think they are above the law. They can demand money from local to national candidates every 3 years election period in exchange for political support via bloc voting of their members. They hate that their leaders can be subjected to DOJ criminal investigation involving illegal detention of their former "kapatid" whom they have later expelled.

The big issue is the inability of the government, both national and local (PNP, MMDA, City governments) to enforce the rule of law -- the law against road occupation by any groups and penalizing violators. If you are a big church group or cult like Iglesia, you can get away with the law with zero penalty.

Some leading Presidential candidates even blatantly and shamelessly support the mob rulers, so long as they can support him/her in the elections next year with their known bloc (and mindless?) voting.

If the government, local and national, allows exemptions to the restrictions of the law (the law applies strictly to some but not to others), then that is rule of men. The rulers make arbitrary exemptions and applications of the law.

Binay and Grace Poe are losers for siding with the Iglesia cultist-we're-abobe-the-law militants. Where is Chiz Escudero, partner of Grace Poe? http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/.../inquirer-net-poll-who...

And Carlos Celdran, why he did not lambast the "Damaso" of Iglesia? Maybe he's scared of this church's mob while he was confident that the Catholic church won't harm him.

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See also: 
Pilipinas Forum 17: The Church and Galileo, November 7, 2011

Church and State, The Iglesia Medical Mission, October 18, 2013 

Church and State 2, Iglesia rally in Edsa, August 29, 2015

Election PH 16, The Presidentiables and the Iglesia militants

Members of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) who are militant and shameless enough to create more traffic  in Edsa -- yes, they gloat, they brag that they have created more traffic in the busiest road in  the whole country -- in pursuit of their political opposition to DOJ Secretary Leila de  Lima, are still there.

This church group is known for their bloc voting during elections. From Municipal and City Mayors and Vice Mayors, Councilors, to Provincial Governors and Vice Governors, Board members, to Congressmen and Senators, and to President and Vice President. There is big money involved of course, although Iglesia leaders will deny it.

That is just one example of their political and electoral meddling in the country. Now they demand a "separation of church and state."

The leading contenders for President in the 2016 elections are treading carefully, if not favorably, of the INC.

What a shame, Sen. Grace Poe. I was leaning to support you, but with this statement, goodbye na tayo. These Iglesia militants in Edsa are defending their insecurity and hypocrisy, not their faith. If they defend their faith, they should be in their churches, or other public places, NOT in already traffic-choked Edsa.

VP Binay is known for political opportunism. His statement is expected, not surprising. Pag may dugo, sisipsip talaga ang linta.

Sec. Mar Roxas, good statement here. I hope you will order the PNP to clear EDSA of these militants. Iglesia members will hate you if you do that, but you will gain more votes from the non-Iglesia.

The President has spoken, rightly. Thank you Mr. President.

Mandaluyong city Mayor Ben Hur Abalos and councilors are also scared of the Iglesia militants. The city government gave a permit after the militants have already created horrible traffic in Edsa since last night.

And MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino, you and your boys are too eager to apprehend and penalize many motorists everyday for "obstruction of traffic" or other "traffic  violations" in Edsa. The Iglesia militants are obviously creating heavy traffic and you allowed them. Scared also of the Iglesia that they might reject your Senatorial ambition next year.

Any serious politician who will challenge this Iglesia bullying and risk being rejected by their bloc voting deserves support. We are not talking about shrinking government here. We are simply talking about government being able to enforce the rule of law. The law applies to all, it applies equally to unequal people. If all other groups are prohibited -- and they should be prohibited -- from occupying Edsa, then that law should apply to the Iglesia militants too. In this case, the Iglesia guys are exempted. Mob rule beats the rule of law.
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See also:

Election 12, JV Bautista and Toilet Politics, June 05, 2015 

Election 13, Bernard Ong's Analysis, June 21, 2015 

Election 14, The Middle Earth of PH Politics, by Doy Romero, June 24, 2015 

Election PH 15, Who's the least welfarist?, August 07, 2015 

Church and State 2, Iglesia rally in Edsa, August 29, 2015

Church and State 2, Iglesia rally in Edsa

Below are my random thoughts about the  ongoing occupation of EDSA -- the busiest road in the Philippines -- by members of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) religious grooup.

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Government, go back to your main function -- enforce the rule of law, end mob rule and rule of men. Stay out from too much welfarism.

Government is often too busy with endless welfarism and populism, placating the irresponsible and opportunist sectors of society, that it becomes less efficient, there is government failure, in quick justice administration, protecting private property, protecting lives from bullies, kidnappers and murderers.

If these hypocrites, them and other aspirants of "people power in Edsa" think it is their "right" to self-expression and "freedom of assembly", then other people also have freedom of movement to use that very busy road. The right of the latter is more important than the purported right of the former.

Many people have warped and corrupt thinking that they can politicize everything. There are many concerns where the proper forum are the courts, not the streets, and much less EDSA. And it is government role to convince the public that justice administration is credible and fast, not biased and slow.

If there is government failure in its most basic function, enforce the rule of law, then expect government failure in its non-basic function, like endless welfarism. A poor household may get free education, free PhilHealth coverage, free housing, etc. but if their small savings like cows, a tricycle can be easily stolen, their kids can be easily abducted and raped, there is breakdown in rule of law and protection of private property, what are the uses of those welfarism?

On another note, with this Iglesia/INC hypocrisy and mob rule, Leila de Lima will gain fast in the Senatorial surveys.

And any Presidential candidate who can boldly state that if they win, they will tax the church, Catholic or Iglesia or other religious groups, will likely get voters support. Since almost all church groups meddle in politics, they might as well be meddled in their income and properties. Then income taxes can go down significantly, Raise the tax base, not the tax rates.

Many people have deep suspicion of that church, being despotic and arrogant. Now these suspicions are publicly confirmed. The longer they stay in Edsa, the more that they alienate themselves from the rest of PH society.

Iglesia is being divided slowly, by themselves. Some have been illegally imprisoned, kicked out, some have quit the church, and those who don't believe in their street demos in Taft and now Edsa. Iglesia personalities like Anthony Taberna of ABS-CBN and his camp will most likely go against these militants.

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Meanwhile, good points from a lawyer friend, Atty. Jojo Garcia. 

A crime is committed, the victim files a complaint, the complaint is investigated, the offender is charged. This is the simple math of crime and punishment in any society and under whatever government. It is part of the social contract citizens have entered into with the State, that in order to establish the rule of law, instead of vigilante justice or the rule of the mob, the people give the mandate of exacting justice to the State under a constitutional regime. The alternative is the law of the jungle.

No individual living within the territory and jurisdiction of the sovereign State endowed by its people with the mandate of enforcing the rule of law is exempt from this paradigm. People may belong to other smaller collectives, including religious organizations, but this does not exempt them from being subject to the larger collective of the State. Philippine citizens may be Roman Catholic, Muslim, Protestant, Iglesia ni Cristo, atheists, Rotary, Boy Scout or Girl Scout, fraternity or country club members, Liberal, Nacionalista or UNA, but they are first and foremost Philippine citizens living in its territory under Philippine laws. No one, by virtue of mere affiliation to these smaller collectives, is above the law. Membership in these organizations does not give anyone a free pass from investigation and prosecution if a crime is committed.

This is the basic principle behind the rule of law under one sovereign established by the people through government. No one can be Iglesia Ni Cristo or Roman Catholic first and Filipino citizen second. We are all citizens first, everything else is secondary. This is the real meaning of the separation of church and State. No church or religious organization should confuse itself as being endowed with the powers of the State. No church or religious organization should bear the illusion that it is higher than the sovereign, and that it can impose itself on others, least of all the State, by its sheer strength in numbers. No church or religious organization can ever play with the notion that it is a State and a government in itself, its members or officials exempt from the laws of the State, and entitled to their own system of justice within their ranks.

This is what separation of church and State is. The opposite is the establishment of religion, which is proscribed by the Constitution. When the State relents and looks the other way so that members of religious organizations can settle alleged criminal acts among themselves and within their ranks, within the walls of their temples, according to whatever ersatz system of crime and punishment, it gives an unwarranted concession to these organizations at the cost of performing its sovereign mandate and the rule of law. If the State will willingly surrender a sovereign function and constitutional mandate to any religious organization, it is not doing so in accordance with the separation of church and State, it is doing so in violation of the principle of non-establishment of a religion.

The Department of Justice cannot give any exemption or special treatment to any individual or group, including religious organizations, their officials or members. It can only apply the law and perform its mandate equally and impartially, without regard to power and influence and strength in numbers. When it investigates the allegations of kidnapping against officials of the INC, it cannot buckle to the pressure of a few thousand, or even millions, of devotees massed at its gates, and supplant the rule of law with the rule of the mob.

If the INC officials and members complained of by Isaias Samson and other INC ministers are innocent, they should face the complaints like any ordinary Filipino is required to by law, instead of calling out their flock under misleading premises set to obfuscate the issues more than clear up the allegations of kidnapping. The veracity of the complaints is yet to be determined in a preliminary investigation. We should all follow the procedure, complainants and respondents alike, and allow justice to take its due course, instead of pre-empting and pre-judging its resolution.

The DOJ and the government cannot allow every Juan, Jose and Pedro, every religious sect or private organization, to have its own system of justice. This is not separation of church and State. Neither is it freedom of religion. This is vigilantism pure and simple, seditious and anarchic.

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See also: 
Church and State, The Iglesia Medical Mission, October 18, 2013 
Pilipinas Forum 17: The Church and Galileo, November 7, 2011
Rule of Law 24: Policemen as Violators of Traffic Rules, September 15, 2014

Church and State, The Iglesia Medical Mission

* This is my article today in thelobbyist.biz.
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Last Monday, October 14, 2013, the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) held a huge medical mission in several places in Manila City. The organizers announced that they expect to gather about 1.5 million people from many places in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces. In anticipation of the huge traffic, Manila Mayor Erap Estrada suspended  all classes from all levels in the city. Other cities in the metropolis also suspended classes up to high school as long convoys of vehicles from many places will be passing by their cities on their way to Manila.

This incident has angered many Filipinos, especially the non-Iglesia members. Hundreds of thousands of students from pre-school to tertiary were deprived of one day of schooling. Those with official and personal trips to and around Manila City suffered super heavy traffic, which started at dawn that day. Many people started queuing at designated places at dawn and hence, travelled to the place at midnight and early morning the previous day. The big volume of buses and jeepneys that ferried the people from different cities and provinces parked at no parking areas, further worsening an already bad traffic situation.

A friend, Dr. Bong Mendoza of the UP Political Science Department, commented in his facebook wall that “Religious freedom is not the freedom to inconvenience the metropolis. And complaining about the inconvenience is not a violation of religious freedom.”

I agree with Bong’s assessment. Freedom without responsibility is stupidity or dictatorship. If the INC officials and members can practice religious freedom, other people also have freedom of mobility,  freedom of education, freedom of commerce and so on. These various freedoms should not be trumped and sacrificed in advancing other people’s religious freedom.

An Iglesia member reacted to Bong’s comment, said that there is a need “to uphold the core value of humanity which is respect.”

I replied to this guy and asked if the INC also respected the right to mobility of other people? No. The INC threw its weight around. They have INC hospitals, churches, schools and so on where they can conduct such medical mission, daily if they want. Luneta and other big open spaces are also alternative venues. Not a bit, INC chose the heavily congested places of Manila, on a weekday.

If the INC wanted respect and understanding from the inconvenienced public, they should have anticipated those problems as it is not the first or second time that their big gatherings cause heavy traffic congestions and trip delays for many other people.

The INC guy replied that “there was no intent to disrespect anyone in the outreach. The argument of respect begets respect clearly does not apply. Why on a Monday? Because Weekends are our days of worship as well as Wed and Thursday…. INC helped thousands of families in Manila. I hope that while you contemplate on the inconvenience, you also realize the medical and relief help we have extended to these families.”

The alibi does not hold water. When you bring a million people or more in a small piece of land like Manila City in one day, the freedom of mobility of other people is immediately disrespected. The Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, lower courts in Manila have all suspended proceedings by afternoon of that day. Classes were suspended whole day. Religious and humanitarian freedom by INC has trumped all other freedoms -- freedom of fair court trial, freedom of education, freedom of mobility, freedom of commerce, others -- these were all rendered secondary or unnecessary that day.

Other INC members may feel that they are being discriminated against because such "rants" are not heard when the Catholics also hold religious-related activities like the Feast of Nazarene and Christmas holidays, where heavy traffic congestion is also experienced.

This is not a valid observation. The Catholic Nazarene Feast and its heavy traffic is confined around Quiapo area only and does not affect the outer rings and streets of Manila City, and definitely does not affect other neighboring cities. The Christmas season is feast and business season. Even atheists and agnostics enjoy the holidays, there are many reunions, partying, perhaps 99 percent of which are not related to religion.

The various city governments in Metro Manila M are also to blame for suspending classes. It is not a far out possibility that there is implicit pressure from INC that if those Mayors do not close schools in their areas, the INC may not support them in the 2016 elections. Many local and national politicians are afraid to antagonize a solid-voting INC bloc.

But even if the other city governments did not close schools that day, the fact that INC brought hundreds of thousands of its followers from northern, central and southern Luzon to Manila City, on a weekday, is already bad. INC has thrown its political weight around.

This should be another warning signal for the rest of Philippine electorates. A big religious bloc can throw its weight around and cause huge public inconvenience for one day or more, when its purported  goal, to conduct medical mission, can be done in other venues, or be phased into several days on smaller venues.

The medical mission was a political mission with a clear political statement. The inconvenienced public should also send a political statement to them: religious freedom cannot and should not undermine other individual freedoms. There are other ways so that any potential conflict between the two can be avoided,  but the INC leadership opted to highlight its own political statement.

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See also: 

CSOs and State 14: Lady Gaga and the Intolerant Religious Groups, May 21, 2012 

Rule of Law 18: Damaso and Carlos Celdran Conviction, February 01, 2013