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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Shots fired: Father Sarabia hits INC, says it cannot impose 'minority view' on Pinoys

Shots fired: Father Sarabia hits INC, says it cannot impose 'minority view' on Pinoys

Published Jul 2, 2026 12:30 pm

At A Glance

  • Father Bong Sarabia criticizes the Iglesia Ni Cristo rally on EDSA, saying the group has the right to express views but cannot impose a minority opinion on the majority.
  • He warns against religious sects that control their members, urging Filipinos to support truth and justice, and to leave any faith that does not lead to goodness and the common good.
  • Sarabia expresses hope that senator-judges convict Vice President Sara Duterte in her impeachment trial, stressing that accountability must follow evidence and truth.
Father Bong Sarabia (Contributed photo)
Father Bong Sarabia (Contributed photo)


Father Bong Sarabia of the Catholic Church didn't hold back on Thursday, July 2 when asked about his thoughts on the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC)-led rally on EDSA.
The EDSA demonstration, which began Tuesday, has been causing tension between members of INC and other religions due to the heavy traffic it caused.
The INC organized the "surprise" rally to express their support for Senator Rodante Marcoleta, whom the Ombudsman said was the subject of plunder charges.
"They have all the right to present their side. They are about 2.6 million, and they have all the right to express their view," Sarabia said of the INC on the sidelines of a "Mass for Truth" held Thursday morning at the Chapel of the Nativity of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Cubao in Quezon City.
"But they cannot impose their minority view to majority of the Filipino people. The Filipino people is open to what is factual," added Sarabia, who served as main celebrant of the mass.
Online public discussions on the INC rally have overlapped with Vice President Sara Duterte's upcoming Senate impeachment trial, given that Marcoleta is a perceived ally of the respondent.
'Hindi pwede sa kulto'
The priest fired more shots as he commented on the growing tension between the Christian denominations.
"That's the beauty of the Catholic Church. You have the choice, you can even say that you disagree with our leaders. Pero hindi ito pwede sa mga kulto, sa mga ibang sekta ng relihiyon (But this is prohibited in cults, in other religious sects)," he said, without going to specifics.
"They want to control the mind of their faithful But what I could always say is that we are always for truth, we are always for justice," Sarabia continued.
He further gave this advice to his fellow Filipinos on the topic of faith.
"Kung tayo ay sumusuporta sa mga magnanakaw, sa mga sinungaling at pumapatay--ano man ang ating relihiyon, ano man ang ating gender, ano man ang ating pinaniniwalaan--eh sa demonyo tayo," Sarabia said.
(If we support thieves, liars, and killers—whatever our religion, whatever our gender, whatever we believe—then we are with the devil.)
"We better be [in] the light, on the right path, at ano talaga yung for the common good. Kapag ang ating relihiyon ay hindi nagdadala sa atin sa kabutihan, sa katotohanan, at para sa future na maganda ng ating bansa...eh dapat tumiwalag na tayo," he said.
(We better be in the light, on the right path, and truly for the common good.If our religion does not lead us to goodness, to truth, and to a better future for our country…then we should leave it.)
VP Duterte impeachment trial
Sarabia also made no bones about his desire to see the Vice President's conviction in the impeachment trial.
He said he hopes "that our senator-judges would vote to convict Vice President Sara Duterte upon seeing the many evidence presented by the prosecutors".
"I still pray for [justice] but I feel that when they are able to see and really be exposed to the facts, the evidence and the witnesses, I think it's so difficult for them to vote otherwise," the priest noted.
Joining Thursday’s mass were the following members of the House prosecution team: Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua, Iloilo 3rd district Rep. Lorenz Defensor, Dinagat Islands lone district Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, San Juan City lone district Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora, and private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan
"Truth must be presented with clarity and I feel the prosecutors...are really experts, they're great at their craft," Sarabia said.
"Sana malabas na nila yung katotohanan (Hopefully the truth will come out), whoever is responsible will be held accountable. We pray that the Filipino people would discover the truth and we counter all the fake news in social media especially," he added.
The Senate impeachment trial will begin on Monday, July 6.

Related Tags

Iglesia Ni Cristo EDSA rodante marcoleta IMPEACHMENT Sara Duterte Bong Sarabia
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