President Marcos questioned whether it was necessary to stage a "surprise" rally along the metropolis' busiest thoroughfare simply to show support for a public official facing a plunder case.

Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said this following the ongoing rally staged by members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) along EDSA in Quezon City.

"In a way, nagtataka siya na dahil masasampahan ng kaso si Senator (Rodante) Marcoleta o nasasangkot sa isang kaso si Senator Marcoleta ay kailangan nang maglungsad ng ganitong kalaking rally ang mga kapatiran, ang ating iginagalang na kapatiran sa INC (In a way, the President is wondering that because Senator Marcoleta is facing charges or has become involved in a legal case, it was necessary for the Iglesia ni Cristo, a religious group that we respect, to organize such a large-scale rally)," Castro said in a Palace briefing on Tuesday, June 30.

The President, Castro added, continues to respect and listen to their concerns, but asked them to also consider the plight of the people who were severely affected by the rally, which authorities said was held without a permit.

"But still ang Pangulo po ay nakikinig, iginagalang sila, ang tangi niya lamang hiling ay igalang nating lahat yung mga naapektuhan na dapat ay hindi naapektuhan (But still, the President is listening and continues to respect them. His only request is that we all also show consideration and respect for those who have been affected and should not have been inconvenienced)," Castro said.

The President also stressed that staging such rally "is not the solution" to a legal case filed against an official.

"Ang panawagan lang din ng Pangulo, hindi lamang sa mga kababayan natin na naapektuhan, doon sa mga nagra-rally: Ang pagra-rally ay hindi po sagot para mawala at maabswelto agad ang isang tao sa isang kaso (The President's appeal is not only to our fellow citizens who have been affected, but also to those participating in the rallies: Holding a rally is not the solution to having someone immediately cleared or acquitted of a case)," Castro said.

"Ang pag-abswelto ng isang tao ay sa korte, hindi po ito madadaan sa rally pero nakikinig naman ang Pangulo sa mga binabanggit ninyo na nais ng transparency, accountability, pagpapatupad ng batas. At 'yan po ang ginagawa ng Pangulo (The courts decide a person's acquittal—it cannot be achieved through a rally. However, the President is listening to your calls for transparency, accountability, and the proper enforcement of the law. That is exactly what the President is doing)," Castro added.

The Palace official pointed out that if they intend to help Marcoleta, they hope it would not be done in a way that has affected the public.

"Sana po sa mga nagra-rally, kung ang nais lamang po ninyo ay isagip si Senator Marcoleta, hindi sana dumaan sa ganito na naapektuhan nag mas marami nating kababayan (To those joining the rallies, if your sole intention is to help Senator Marcoleta, we hope it would not have been done in a way that has affected so many of our fellow citizens)," Castro said.

The Palace spokesperson stressed that the surprise rally has affected not just the flow of traffic along EDSA and nearby thoroughfares, but also the workers, students, and even the emergency vehicles plying the major national road.

She questioned the protesters' decision to stage the surprise rally, stressing that it had put people who had no involvement in Marcoleta's case at a disadvantage.

"Lahat ng ito, pati tayo rito ay maaapektuhan. Maaapektuhan tayo dahil sa ipinaglalaban ba nila ang isang karapatan? Karapatan ba ni Senator Marcoleta? Ang karapatan ng isang tao sa isang kaso ay ibinibigay naman po. Nandiyan naman po ang paggalang sa right to due process (All of us, including those of us here, will be affected by this. Are we being affected because they are fighting for a right? Is it Senator Marcoleta's right they are defending? A person facing a legal case is already afforded their rights. The right to due process is being respected)," Castro said.

The Palace mouthpiece said those holding the rally have their own agenda and "perhaps they want people who have nothing to do with their protest to feel its impact."

"Nagkakaroon lamang tayo ng mga collateral damage, naaapektuhan iyong hindi naaapektuhan (As a result, there is collateral damage, people who should not have been affected are being inconvenienced)," Castro pointed out.

She stressed that it has a significant impact on the economy, on businesses, and on ordinary people who need to get to school, report for work, or rush to the hospital.

The President has ordered authorities to observe maximum tolerance in dealing with the protesters, but instructed them to hold accountable those who would be abusing their right to peaceful assembly.

"Ang Pangulo naman ay nirerespeto ang karapatan ng bawat tao, ang freedom of expression, ang freedom of assembly pero hindi kinikilala ng Pangulo ang mga pang-aabuso na may kaakibat dito (The President respects every person's rights, including the freedoms of expression and assembly. However, he does not condone any abuses or misconduct associated with the exercise of those rights)," Castro said.

"Maximum tolerance ang dapat na ipairal at makinig lang kung ano ang kanilang sasabihin pero kung may lumalabag sa batas ay dapat ding ipatupad ang batas (Maximum tolerance should be exercised, and authorities should simply listen to what they have to say. However, if any laws are violated, the law must also be enforced)," Castro also said, referring to the President's directive.

In case the rally continues for days, the Palace official said the government is always prepared.

"Ang gobyerno naman po ay laging handa, hindi para lamang isagip ang administrasyong ito kundi isagip ang bawat tao na maaapektuhan ng rally na ito. Mas marami po ngayon ang naapektuhan dahil sa biglaan nilang pagdagsa sa EDSA (The government is always prepared, not just to protect this administration, but to protect every person who may be affected by this rally. More people have been affected because of their sudden gathering along EDSA)," she said.

Castro maintained that there was no intelligence lapse on the part of the government, despite its failure to detect the surprise rally before it was staged.

"Hindi ko po masasagot kung nagkaroon ng intelligence lapses dahil madaling araw po ay nalaman na po namin (I cannot say whether there was an intelligence lapse because we learned about it in the early hours of the morning)," Castro said.

She, however, said that the rally appeared to have been "deliberately planned."

"Siguro talagang plinano na magkaroon ng surprise rally, itinago ( It appears that this was deliberately planned as a surprise rally and kept secret)," Castro said.

"At although sabi nga natin iginagalang natin ang liderato ng INC pero ang pag-admit na ito ay isang surprise rally at itinago hindi po iyon maganda, hindi siya maayos dahil hindi po siya tumutupad sa batas at hindi rin po ito gumagalang sa karapatan ng ibang tao (Although we respect the leadership of the INC, admitting that this was a surprise rally and that it was intentionally concealed is not a good thing. It was not done properly because it did not comply with the law, nor did it respect the rights of other people)," Castro added.

According to her, there is no information yet on whether the President has communicated with the INC leadership regarding the surprise demonstration.

While Castro said Malacañang does not see the rally as a threat, tightened security was implemented around the Malacañan Palace on Tuesday.

She said it was intended to maintain the safety of those who are inside the Palace, including the President.

Two gates leading to the Malacañan Palace were closed and barricaded starting Tuesday morning. Mendiola was also closed to motorists.

"Para po mas maproteksiyunan ang mga nandidito sa loob kasama kayo at alam po natin na kapagka may ganitong mga klase ng rally ay ano naman po ito – kasama na po ito sa paghahanda (To better protect those who are inside, including all of you, and we know that when rallies like this take place, this is already part of our preparations)," Castro said.

"Hindi natin alam kung may mangyayari dito. Kung may papasok or what. So, ito po ang pinaka opisina ng ating Pangulo so dapat din po natin itong proteksyunan kahit anu pang klaseng rally iyan - maliit, malaki dapat nating proteksyunan at ito po ay parte na po ng seguridad (We do not know what might happen here—whether someone might enter or something else could occur. This is the President’s main office, so we also need to protect it regardless of the type of rally, whether small or large. It must be protected, and this is already part of our security measures)," Castro said.

She also confirmed that the President was at the Malacañan Palace on Tuesday while monitoring the situation.