MANILA — A high-ranking official from the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) on Monday admitted that he was unsure how the religious group’s leaders and members would deal with politicians who would continue to support impeachment cases against Vice President Sara Duterte despite the sect’s nationwide rally that discouraged officials from supporting the ouster of the Philippines’ second-highest official.

The INC — a religious group known to practice bloc voting during elections — repeatedly denied insinuations that their National Rally for Peace is a show of force against lawmakers who wish to unseat the vice president.

“I really cannot guess how the members or the leadership of the INC deal with someone or anyone who would feel that way,” INC spokesperson Edwil Zabala told reporters.

“Let’s just leave it at this: Nanawagan ang Iglesia Ni Cristo na magkaroon ng kapayapaan… dahil yun ang naririnig namin kahit sa hindi namin miyembro,” he said.

“Kung talagang nakikinig sila sa sinasabi ng ating mga kababayan, hopefully, pahalagahan nila yung sinabi namin,” he said.

Zabala also distanced the INC from politicians who attended their National Rally for Peace at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, underscoring that the religious group neither invited government officials nor promised any endorsement for candidates who took part in the rally.

“We did not invite specific people, specific politicians, specific groups to come. We just said this is open to everyone who believes in what we are saying to the public, which is unite again,” he said.

“Whatever reasons they have for coming, we would like to think the best of everyone who came, na lahat ng nagpunta, ano man ang kaniyang trabaho, saan mang bahagi ng lipunan siya kabilang,” he said.

“We would like to believe that everyone who came understood that this is a rally for peace.”

Among the elected officials who attended the rally are senators Ronald Dela Rosa, Christopher “Bong” Go, Robin Padilla and Francis Tolentino.

Also in attendance were Tarlac Governor Susan Yap, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna and former Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso.

While the rally called for changes in the behavior of some elected officials, the INC insisted that the gathering was not political in nature.

“It’s not in support of this or that candidate, this or that political party,” he said.

“Wala kaming sinasabi, pinapangalanan na masama o mabuti. Ang sinasabi lang namin nasa iisang bansa tayo,” he said.

“If we do not unite, if there is no peace, wala naman tayong puwedeng sabihin na mayroon pang extrang Pilipinas,” he said.