The Davao Region remained peaceful despite the Philippine National Police (PNP) placing all police units nationwide under Red Full Alert Status following the massive gathering of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) members in Metro Manila from June 30 to July 1, 2026.
No protests in Davao, but police on standby
Police Regional Office-Davao (PRO-Davao) spokesperson Police Major Catherine Dela Rey said no protest actions or public disturbances were monitored anywhere in the region, although police units remained on heightened readiness in compliance with the directive from the PNP national headquarters.
“Sa pagkakaron, Davao Region is peaceful but we are ready and deploy immediately our team if may protest na mangyayari pero so far, wala naman dito sa Davao and sumusunod lang tayo sa kung ano utos ng PNP,” Dela Rey told SunStar Davao in a phone interview on June 30.
Nationwide alert after INC gathering
The nationwide security alert was ordered after thousands of INC members converged along White Plains Avenue near the People Power Monument in Quezon City in support of their co-member, Senator Rodante Marcoleta, who is facing a plunder complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman. Church leaders also described the gathering as a call for peace, justice, transparency, and accountability amid the country's political tensions.
The gathering began before dawn of June 30, prompting authorities to immediately implement traffic rerouting and deploy security personnel after hundreds of buses and private vehicles carrying rally participants occupied portions of Edsa. The road closures triggered heavy traffic congestion across several major thoroughfares in Metro Manila, affecting thousands of commuters throughout the day.
Protest attendance and police deployment
Police recorded about 10,850 participants across four monitored protest sites, with approximately 10,000 gathered at White Plains Avenue alone. By evening, on the same day, Quezon City Police District estimated attendance had increased to around 15,000 to 15,500 participants, making it one of the largest protest gatherings in Metro Manila this year.
To maintain peace and order, nearly 6,000 police officers were deployed across Metro Manila, while additional personnel from various PNP support units were placed on standby under the nationwide Red Full Alert Status. Authorities also secured key government installations, including Camp Crame, the Senate, Mendiola, Liwasang Bonifacio, and other strategic locations.
Permit and isolated incidents
Although the demonstration initially caught authorities by surprise, organizers later coordinated with the Quezon City government, which granted a permit allowing the assembly to continue under specific conditions, including maintaining public order and avoiding total road closures.
Police reported isolated incidents during the rally, including confrontations after a bus allegedly blocked portions of Edsa. Several individuals were arrested, while three police officers sustained minor injuries during separate incidents. Despite these, the PNP said the overall situation remained generally peaceful and officers exercised maximum tolerance in managing the crowd.
