MANILA -- Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday thanked the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) for organizing a nationwide rally that called for peace amid political bickering ahead of the 2025 midterm elections.

In a recorded statement, Duterte thanked the INC for trying to bridge unity and understanding among Filipinos.

"Ito ay isang makapangyarihang pagpapakita ng pagkakaisa at pananampalataya na ang tanging hangad lamang ay kapayapaan tungo sa kaunlaran ng ating bansa," the Vice President said.

"Sa gitna ng tumataas na presyo ng bilihin, kahirapan, at iba pang suliranin, ang isang mapayapa at nagkakaisang Pilipinas ay hindi kailanman matitinag, at paulit-ulit na aahon sa gitna ng hamon ng panahon," she said.

"Muli, sa aking mga kababayan, maraming salamat sa inyong malasakit sa bayan," she added.

The INC earlier denied that the rally was politically motivated amid insinuations that the show of force was aimed at discouraging lawmakers to support impeachment cases lodged against Duterte.

The INC only supports the statement of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that the Philippines needs to focus on more pressing issues other than the ouster of the country's second-highest official, the religious group said in an earlier statement.

READ: Crowd at INC's peace rally hits 1.2 million

"Ang sinuportahan namin ay ang opinyon ng Presidente dahil tama ang sinabi niya na maraming problema ang ating bansa. Ito ang dapat na unahin natin," the INC's statement read.

"Ito ang aming tinitindigan: unahin ang kapakanan ng ating bayan at ng ating mga mamamayan," it read.

"Ang isang bansa ay nagiging payapa kung napangangasiwaan ng mga batas. Kung walang batas, o kung may batas pero di sinusunod ang batas, anarkiya ang ibubunga."

While the INC's statement did not refer to the impeachment complaints against Duterte, some of their leaders raised the issue during their speeches in the rally.

Meanwhile, politicians who attended the rally at the Quirino Grandstand denied that they participated in the event to court INC votes for the upcoming elections.

The INC — which has millions of followers — is a religious group known to practice bloc voting during elections.

READ: Early birds arrive at Quirino Grandstand for Iglesia peace rally

"Hindi ako pumunta dito para mag endorse at para mamulitika. Pukunta ako dito para ipakita yung pakiisa ko sa ating mga kababayan," Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa said.

"I am for peace. Inihalal ang presidente, inihalal ang bise presidente ng taong bayan. Magkasama nga sila. Bihira nga yung magkasama silang inihalal so ineexpect ng taong bayan na magtrabaho sila para sa kapakanan ng mga mahihirap," Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go said.

Other politicians who were seen in the rally were Sen. Robin Padilla, Sen. Francis Tolentino, Tarlac Gov. Susan Yap, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna and former Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso.