By M.M

Armed only with bolos and amulets, the 32 members of a peasant religious sect gathered their ranks and marched toward their goal: Malacañang Palace. They were a vision in their blue shirts draped in red and yellow capes, a stark contrast to the uniforms of the Pasay City police, who stood firm against their passage. Propelled by their faith in God and their leader, the crusaders charged toward the police phalanx, only to be massacred by the superiorly armed guardians of the state.

They are the Lapiang Malaya, a religious political group of mostly poor peasants who were protesting the oppressive ways of Marcos administration. It was 1967, five years before he would impose Martial Law, and the episode offered a preview of the regime’s capacity for violence.

But from the outside, the Lapiang Malaya had all the characteristics of a cult. It was led by a revered and charismatic leader in the person of Valentin “Tatang” de los Santos. It also conformed to a well-charted spiritual belief, this one was rooted in distinctly Filipino customs, like the use of amulets, or anting-anting.

The case of the Lapiang Malaya calls to mind another religious group, the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC). With the group’s recent show of solidarity as a response to controversies surrounding its leaders, it raises the question of the many ways a faith-based group can lead a flock that is at its beck and call.

Baptism by Fire

Both religious groups are similar in their inception—they both emerged as a reaction to the dismal conditions that their leaders found around them. The Lapiang Malaya was formed by de los Santos as a way to seek justice and liberty, beginning with his home in Bicol. De los Santos was against the American occupation, aware of the invader’s imperial motives.

The INC was formed in the same way. Its founder, Felix Manalo, was Roman Catholic until the church’s teachings disappointed him. He began to search for the “one true religion,” going through one sect after another. Traveling to Punta, Sta. Maria, with his wife, he claimed to have received God’s Word in a room after spending three days in seclusion, accompanied only by religious documents and empty notebooks. He emerged from the room an enlightened man, and the INC was born.

Manalo was succeeded by his kin in the administration of the INC. His grandson, Eduardo Manalo, is the current Executive Minister. However, the leadership of the church has recently been tainted with allegations and accusations of corruption and the illegal detention of a former minister, Isias Samson Jr.

In response, the Department of Justice moved to investigate the case, only to be met with protests from INC members who wanted to protect their church from what they perceived as meddling, a breach of the separation between church and state. The case was resolved following intense pressure from the INC. The decision was not disclosed to the public.

“[But] we should always uphold INC beliefs and support our administration in whatever activities they hold,” said Micaela Reina Andres, a student, born and raised an INC member. Following the bidding of INC leadership seemed to have become second nature to its followers, not unlike the Lapiang Malaya’s venturing out into the streets armed only with their bolos.

Constrictive Commandments

As a religious group, the INC has been known for its strict rules regarding food, clothing, and mode of worship. Members go to church twice a week and observe rigorous codes of conduct during service: to come in formal attire, to leave their cell phones behind, and to give an offering, usually an amount equivalent to 10 percent of their income.

INC members are also barred from marrying non-members, Andres added. This would result in mandatory ex-communication. According to the doctrines of the INC, excommunicated members cannot enjoy the presence of God and salvation in heaven.

These impositions seem to have a salutary effect on the organization, from its longevity as a church—the INC has been in existence for more than a hundred years—to many other achievements. INC funds have gone to building the world’s largest indoor arena, the Philippine Arena, which can seat 55,000 people. The film “Felix Manalo” also recently broke the Guinness World of Records for largest audience attendance for a film screening and premiere, attracting a staggering 43,624-strong crowd.

“I wouldn’t say [the administration] meddles, but they strongly influence the actions of the INC members,” Andres explained. However, this influence could swing from one end of the spectrum to the other: from bringing solace to the INC flock to leading them to fanaticism and blind belief.

Playing God

Given the size of INC membership and the extent of their influence on society, the dynamics within the INC affect even the people who are not part of the group.

For instance, INC is known to consolidate its political power via bloc voting. It is estimated that it has about 1.37 million voting-age members, managing a 75 percent average voter turn-out. This influence is a huge factor in the electoral process—the INC has become an entity to woo for the substantial support it could give any candidate.

Among those that the INC had supported is former president Joseph Estrada. When he was ousted and arrested in 2001, it sparked anger among the ranks of INC leaders and members who joined protests to overthrow his successor Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Although prohibited from joining rallies, INC members gathered with Estrada loyalists to express support for him. The failed protest, which was dubbed EDSA Tres, did not succeed. Its recent demonstrations somehow succeeded, but it earned disdain from many Filipinos not only because of the traffic that they caused but for allegedly circumventing judicial procedures.

INC’s actions thus echo how the Lapiang Malaya attempted to use faith to bring about social change in the country under Marcos. But while the Lapiang Malaya’s motives were geared toward inciting inclusive and widespread reform, the INC’s actions are an act of self-preservation. The group’s collective rigor plays a huge role in keeping it alive, but its display of faith isolates it from the rest of society. ●

Published in print in the Collegian’s December 8, 2015 issue.