Ex-president Duterte, who once called God 'stupid', organizes another prayer rally

MANILA, Philippines — Aside from opposition forces gathering at EDSA to protest the commemoration of the 38th anniversary of the People Power Revolution, a political group from another spectrum is set to conduct a prayer rally on the same day.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte is scheduled to lead a prayer rally against the People’s Initiative (PI) campaign for amending specific provisions of the 1987 Constitution on Sunday at the Kasadya SRP Grounds in Cebu.

Mark Abenir, a social development expert at the Ateneo de Manila University, explained that prayer rallies represent a form of political mobilization leveraging religion for legitimacy, identity and motivation. These events utilize prayer as a means to inspire political action.

He also said that political leaders who are involved in these rallies often gain “moral standing” and “charisma” which make them look like they are aligned with the “divine will.”

“Ginagamit ni dating Presidente Duterte at ng kanyang mga kaalyado at galamay ang prayer rally upang palakasin ang kanilang political base at hamunin ang ‘legitimacy’ ng kasalukuyang administrasyon ni President Bongbong Marcos Jr.,” Abenir said in an online message with Philstar.com.

(Former President Duterte and his allies and cohorts are utilizing the prayer rally to bolster their political base and challenge the 'legitimacy' of the current administration of President Bongbong Marcos Jr.)

“Prayer rallies serve as platforms for expressing either support for or opposition to the current Marcos administration and its proposed changes to the 1987 Constitution, and of course, the softening stance to the International Criminal Court issue,” he added.

According to the event’s organizers, the prayer rally is aimed to urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to be “transparent” about the PI campaign.

Duterte, who once called God "stupid," is hosting his second prayer rally. The rally centers on the People's Initiative (PI) for Charter change and coincides with the 38th anniversary of the ousting of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

It could also be recalled that Duterte previously criticized the church, going so far as to curse Pope Francis, a move that garnered