Mendiola remained closed and heavily manned on Thursday, July 2, as authorities enforced heightened security measures on the third day of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) peace rally in Manila.
The Manila Police District (MPD) maintained double barricades along key access points, including Legarda Street, Recto Avenue, and Ayala Bridge, effectively preventing rallyists from advancing toward the vicinity of Malacañang, a long-declared no-permit, no-rally zone.
Police personnel were strategically deployed in the area to enforce crowd control, ensure that demonstrators remain within designated zones, and manage the flow of both pedestrian and vehicular traffic on nearby roads.
Earlier, the Manila city government placed the capital under Red Alert status to ensure the readiness of emergency response teams, traffic enforcers, and other government personnel throughout the duration of the gathering.
The multi-day rally has drawn thousands of INC members to Liwasang Bonifacio, with authorities reporting varying crowd estimates as of Thursday at noon.
The INC concluded its third day of activities at around 7:30 p.m. Thursday, with the peace rally expected to continue on Friday.
As of posting, no untoward incidents have been reported, with authorities closely monitoring the situation and maintaining a strong presence in key areas across the city.