CEBU CITY – Thousands of people in the province of Cebu are expected to join a rally in support of the nationwide Unity and Peace Assembly organized by the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) on Monday, Jan. 13.

PDP-Laban coordinator Peter Laviña (left) and Hakbang ng Maisug Cebu chapter convenor Pamela Baricuatro (right) discuss the Iglesia ni Cristo rally in Cebu on Monday, Jan. 13. (Calvin D. Cordova)

Spearheaded by the Partido Demokratiko Pilipinas-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) and Hakbang ng Maisug Cebu chapter, the rally will be held at the South Road Properties starting at 3 p.m.

“We expect 300,000 people coming from across Cebu province to join. Various groups will be joining to promote unity and peace,” said Hakbang ng Maisug-Cebu convenor Pamela Baricuatro in a press conference on Friday, Jan. 10.

She said simultaneous rallies will be in 12 major areas in the country.

Baricuatro, who is running for governor in Cebu in the May elections, said the rally opposes the impeachment move against Vice President Sara Duterte.

“Impeaching the Vice President will further divide the country, but it is not a pro-Duterte or anti-Marcos event, it is about peace and unity,” Baricuatro said.

Baricuatro said the rally is open to everyone, including politicians.

But she said that politicians will not be allowed to speak and their tarpaulins will be prohibited at the venue.

With the ongoing rift between the country’s top two leaders, PDP-Laban coordinator Peter Laviña said the rally is timely and thanked the INC for spearheading the move.

“We are pleased that a major religious group took the lead in organizing this rally. They used ‘Uniteam’ during the election but the country has become disunited,” said Laviña.