PART6: Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo makes a personal visit to Manalo

Part 1: INC Rebellion - INC's role in bringing the crowd to the EDSA 3 rally
Part 2: INC Rebellion - INC's role in the rebellion plot
Part 3: The government's response to the plot, specifically against the INC
Part 4: The government's attempt to reach out to the INC leadership
Part 5:  INC Rebellion - The deal with Manalo

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo makes a personal visit to Manalo

The inside story:The Fall of Joseph Estrada: The Inside Story - a book by Amando Doronilla
page 245:

Interestingly, the president called on INC Executive Director Erano Manalo on May 8. The visit was described as "private" and was not logged on the president's official schedule. Malacanang refused to disclose details of the meeting, although INC sources said she had asked for Manalo's support for the senatorial candidates of the administration. INC sources said that, while the May 14 mid-term election was the main agenda, Manalo and Macapagal-Arroyo talked about Estrada. She reportedly offered "hospital arrest" in response for Manalo's demand for house arrest.

INC sources also said that Macapagal-Arroyo had promised to Appoint former Jusice Secretary Artemio Tuquero, a respected and ranking member of the INC, to a suitable government post. As of this writing, a hospital arrest for Estrada seemed almost sure - as all officials involved in the decision making were for it, from the government doctors who changed their diagnosis into something more serious-sounding to the prosecution who felt keeping the former president in the hospital was the most practical solution to the problem of security and traffic during the impending trial. Tuquero also has been nominated as ambasador to Canada. As for the treatment of the former president, Macapagal-Arroyo has been accused by her own supporters of giving him preferential treatment. The criticism forced her to stop the construction work in the hospital compound.

PART 5: INC Rebellion - The deal with Manalo

Part 1: INC Rebellion - INC's role in bringing the crowd to the EDSA 3 rally
Part 2: INC Rebellion - INC's role in the rebellion plot
Part 3: The government's response to the plot, specifically against the INC
Part 4: The government's attempt to reach out to the INC leadership

The inside story:The Fall of Joseph Estrada: The Inside Story - a book by Amando Doronilla

INC Rebellion - The deal with Manalo

page 236-237
The National Security Council meeting in Malacanang was held next day. Senate President Aquilino Pimentel proposed a dialogue between the government and Manalo after hearing from Mendoza that INC members made up at least 70% of the EDSA 3 crowd. Some Cabinet members opposed the idea, but the president sided with Pimentel. She sent him, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, and Justice Secretary Hernando Perez to the INC headquarters. Even before the dialogue with the INC leadership was over, Net 25 and DZEC, which had been covering the rally round-the-clock, had gone off the air without warning or explanation.

There were several versions of what took place during the meeting. Manalo raised the issue of house arrest for Estrada or what he would regard a more appropriate detention for him-the bungalow built for the purpose in Fort Sto. Domingo, Laguna just would not do. The presidential emissaries said the issue of house arrest was for the court to resolve, but promised a better place and good treatment. But the opposition claimed that Macapagal-Arroyo's men had committed to a house arrest for Estrada and even agreed to put the plunder case against the ousted president on the back burner for the time being. Supporters of the opposition even spread outlandish rumors that Macapagal-Arroyo had considered putting out a statement acknowledging that she was just an acting president because Estrada was merely on leave.

The claim that Macapagal-Arroyo was amenable to house arrest gained credence when, after the Malacanang riot and her second surprise visit to Estrada's hospital suite at the VMMC, the palace announced that she was not opposed to the hospital arrest. Cabinet members who had denounced Estrada as a hopelessly corrupt leader echoed the line of Macapagal-Arroyo. They argued that, as former chief executive, he should be accorded preferential treatment while standing trial.

President Macapagal-Arroyo even ordered the start of work in the hospital compund on two bungalows - a new annex - where Estrada and his son could stay until Sandiganbayan decided their cases. Pimentel then confirmed that a hospital arrest for the president and his son was part of the compromise reached during their meeting with Manalo. Other sources close to the talks said the appointment of former Justice Secretary Artemio Tuquero, an influential member of the INC, to a government position was also part of the deal. Tuquero was nominated as new ambassador to Canada.

Part 6:  Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo makes a personal visit to Manalo

PART 4: The government's attempt to reach out to the INC leadership

Part 1: INC Rebellion - INC's role in bringing the crowd to the EDSA 3 rally
Part 2: INC Rebellion - INC's role in the rebellion plot
Part 3: The government's response to the plot, specifically against the INC

The government's attempt to reach out to the INC leadership

The inside story:The Fall of Joseph Estrada: The Inside Story - a book by Amando Doronilla
page. 235:

It was clear to Malacanang that the key to the successful EDSA 3 rally was the support from INC and El Shaddai. Some of the presidential advisers were reportedly not very keen to deal with Manalo and Velarde. But convinced that the pullout of the faithful followers of Manalo and Velarde from the rally and the stop to the 24-hour coverage of INC media outlets would be a big blow to the protest movement, the president had decided to reach out to the two even before coup rumors spread. According to an INC source, the president sent word thrice that she would like to meet Executive Director Erano Manalo. The source said that Manalo did not meet the president at the height of EDSA 3 because he was very unhappy with the way Estrada was being treated by the government.

Other sources said tha INC was also uncomfortable with the influence of the Catholic church, particularly Jaime Cardinal Sin, in the Macapagal Arroyo administration. Some influential INC members were recommended to positions in the new government but none was appointed since members of the Macapagal-Arroyo screening committee were identified closely with the Catholic church. In fact, there were reports od a plan to attack Villa San Miguel, the cardinal's residence in Mandaluyong City, not far from the EDSA shrine. Television stations ABS-CBN and GMA-7, accused of biased reporting, were reported to be similar targets.

A presidential adviser said, even before the arrest of Estrada, the INC leadership had already told the palace its bottomline demand: house arrest for Estrada while cases against him were being heard. The palace replied that the demand was against the law, but the Sandiganbayan could allow Estrada to stay in a hospital, if the doctors certified that he needed immediate medical attention. It was the first time the concept of house arrest was considered.

PART 3: The government's response to the plot, specifically against the INC

Part 1: INC Rebellion - INC's role in bringing the crowd to the EDSA 3 rally
Part 2: INC Rebellion - INC's role in the rebellion plot

The government's response to the plot, specifically against the INC

[The plot was said to have been aborted on the 29th of April because of "top-level disagreement between the plotters regarding how the plot is to be carried out, and also about money, where almost half of the P1-billion mobilization budget could not be accounted for.]

The inside story:The Fall of Joseph Estrada: The Inside Story - a book by Amando Doronilla
page 230:

At any rate, President Macapagal-Arroyo and her advisers were not taking any chances. Expecting the worse, the government dispatched an anti-coup contingent from Camp Aguinaldo to the Commonwealth Ave.-two armored personnel carrier s, six trucks of soldiers, one L-300 van and one vehicle that looked like a television OB van.

The contingent, part of the larger strike force Task Force Libra stayed in the Philippine Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) compund, just a stone's throw away from the central office of the INC, where its leader, Executive Minister Erano Manalo also lives.

The soldiers, all from the Army called in from Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, were supposed to bring down the transmitter of Net 25 inside the INC compund, once a coup against the administration was launched.

According to an INC member who was inside the central officehimself on the night of April 28, its leadership had learned of the plan. "Yung L-300 nila dumaan pa sa Shell station malapit sa UP para bumili ng softdrinks. May tatlo silang tao na naka-motorsiklo umiikot-ikot. Lalo silang nahalata," the INC member said.

An INC security man accosted one of the three men prowling near the INC entrance and later arrested the two others. The three were turned over to a police official who supposedly called up Senator Enrile who in turn allegedly called up Camp Aguinaldo, the Army Headquarters, about it. Task Force Libya contingent was subsequently pulled out of PAEC.

Military agents confirmed the arrests but denied any mission to knock out Net 25. The dispatch of the contingent had been intended only as a show of force and a defensive move in case the plotters used the television station, a military source said.


Part 4: The government's attempt to reach out to the INC leadership
Part 5:  INC Rebellion - The deal with Manalo
Part 6:  Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo makes a personal visit to Manalo

East and the Islands of the Sea

You must have heard from the INC that the Philippines was the prophetic fulfilment  of Isaiah 24:15.

Therefore in the east give glory to the LORD; 

exalt the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, 

in the islands of the sea.

It's not really that hard to be misled. After all, you see the word east and islands of the sea spoken in the same sentence. But what does it mean, really?

In the Hebrew masoretic texts:

עַל-כֵּן בָּאֻרִים, כַּבְּדוּ יְהוָה בְּאִיֵּי הַיָּם שֵׁם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.

East - is actually written as בָּאֻרִים, from the root word אוּר which means 'in the fires.'

Islands - written as בְּאִיֵּי  , from the root word אִי, which means costlands, or islands

Sea - written as הַיָּם , from the root word יָם, which refers to 'sea', sometimes more specifically, the Mediterranean sea.

It is worth noting that the word יָם is also sometimes translated as west! So instead of the islands of the sea being a place in the east, it's actually in the west! If you are in Israel, it makes perfect sense.  To its west, its all Mediterranean sea.

Literally, Isaiah 24:15 would read like this:

Glorify the LORD in the fires (EAST),

Exalt the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea (WEST).

Now, this makes more sense if we look at a similar verse:

Isaiah 59:19

From the west, men will fear the name of the LORD,

and from the  east, they will revere his glory. 

So remember, the islands are the west. So all that Felix Manalo claims are false regarding the prophecies refer to the Philippines.

PART 2: INC's role in the rebellion plot

Part 1: INC Rebellion - INC's role in bringing the crowd to the EDSA 3 rally

Romans 13:2Consequently, he who rebels against the
authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will
bring judgment on themselves.

INC's role in the rebellion plot

The inside story:The Fall of Joseph Estrada: The Inside Story -  by Amando Doronilla
page 226-227:

The plotters were closely monitored by the military and police agents. Three hotels - EDSA Shangri-La, Richmonde Hotel, and Galleria Suites - were used by the opposition as war headquarters at the height of the protests. Five rooms, including the presidential suites, in Shangri-La, four rooms in Richmonde, and several rooms on the 18th and 29th floors of the Galleria Suites were booked. Lacson, Honasan, Enrile, former First Lady Loi Ejercito and JV Ejercito had a room each at the Galleria suites, which was right behind the EDSA shrine. Opposition leaders said, however, the rooms were used, not as command centers to plot against the government, but as sanctuary to the tired leaders of the protest movement.

Honasan and Lacson, according to the military agents, were on top of the tactical planning for the rallies, the aborted negotiations with government, and the siege of Malacanang.

Room 1801, the presidential suite on the 18th floor of Edsa Plaza Shangri-La was reserved on April 29 by one Meloy Trinidad, vice-president for administration of the Antonino Group of Companies with office address in T.M. Kalaw corner Jorge Bocobo, Manila. The group of Honasan, Lacson, Maceda, and Enrile checked in at 7 p.m. and left 3 a.m. the following day. Seen with them at the hotel was INC deputy Executive Director Eduardo 'Eddie Boy' Manalo, son of Minister Manalo. He was reportedly invited to sit in at the negotiations between the administration and the opposition.

Part 3: The government's response to the plot, specifically against the INC
Part 4: The government's attempt to reach out to the INC leadership
Part 5:  INC Rebellion - The deal with Manalo
Part 6:  Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo makes a personal visit to Manalo

PART 1: INC Rebellion - INC's role in bringing the crowd to the EDSA 3 rally

Why did INC chose to ally with Marcos and Estrada, but then clearly supported rebellion against Arroyo? Is it because INC follows the biblical command, or is it because the Manalos are really cronies of the two deposed presidents?

INC's role in bringing the crowd to the EDSA 3 rally

The inside story:The Fall of Joseph Estrada: The Inside Story - a book by Amando Doronilla
page 223-224:

MEMBERS OF THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO (INC), a religious sect that has supported Estrada since he was a mayor, accounted for much of the turn-out at the EDSA shrine - 70% to 75%, Mendoza reported at the National Security Council meeting called by President Macapagal-Arroyo on the fifth day of the protest. The INC denied ordering its followers to EDSA. Although the INC leadership has always supported candidates fairly openly during an election, the INC said it was up to its constituents to decide whether or not to join the pro-Estrada rally at the EDSA shrine.

But an INC official, who agreed to be interviewed for this book on condition of anonymity, told a different story. While there may not have been an order directing INC members to go to EDSA, they were not discouraged from going, he said. A less subtle signal of which side the INC was on, he said, was in fact sent to some local pastors: on the first night of the protest, calls came from the central office urging them to go, and the pastors in turn passed the word down to the ranks.

But the obvious manifestation was the non-stop coverage of the rally by the INC's radio and television stations. Net 25, a cable television channel, and radio station DZEC in fact had the event to themselves because the other networks , accused of bias, were kept away by harrasment. Previously, Net 25 had only shown sectarian and other non-political (shopping, computer technology) programs. Now it had only EDSA pictures with DZEC providing the annotation and commentary.

According to an INC insider, the leadership supported the rally because it felt that the government had gone over board in its quest for justice. INC leader Erano Manalo, the informant said, was convinced that the administration was humiliating Estrada in public because it wanted to destroy him once and for all. "Patung-patong na ang kaso against Erap, and it seemed the government was not content with that. They are saying that he would be investigated for a possible violation of the Comelec gun ban. And then the mug shots and the fingerprinting were shown on nationwide TV. Sobra na raw 'yon. Aping-api na si Erap," the insider said, explaining Manalo. The INC commentators took turns in agitating their audiences by picturing Estrada as the underdog, the government and the media his tormentors.

Part 2: INC Rebellion - INC's role in the rebellion plot
Part 3: The government's response to the plot, specifically against the INC
Part 4: The government's attempt to reach out to the INC leadership
Part 5:  INC Rebellion - The deal with Manalo
Part 6:  Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo makes a personal visit to Manalo