By Sean Rafio
Influential religious group Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) on Tuesday endorsed Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for president and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte for vice president, six days before the May 9, 2022 polls.
The endorsement was officially announced in “Mata ng Agila” news program on NET 25, a media outfit whose primary stakeholders are key members connected with the Iglesia ni Cristo
INC is known to practice bloc voting, wherein millions of its members vote for a particular candidate chosen by church leaders.
The religious group also follows major poll surveys in choosing their anointed bets.
The INC endorsement was officially released while Marcos Jr. and Duterte and their senatorial slate were holding a miting de avance in Guimbal, Iloilo.
Marcos’ campaign in Western Visayas comes at a time when his rival Vice President Leni Robredo is still leading in the region by 23%, based on the latest Pulse Asia survey conducted from April 16 to 21.
The former senator, however, maintained his lead in the national survey with 56% of 2,400 respondents choosing him.
Iloilo province, including Iloilo City, is the 8th most vote-rich province in the country with 1,628,752 registered voters, based on Commission on Elections data.
In a statement, Marcos Jr., welcomed the INC endorsement even as he vowed that the UniTeam will pursue to unify the country to immediately recover from the pandemic.
With at least two million voting members, INC faithful are expected to follow the church leaders’ choice of candidates when they vote, in line with their strength in unity doctrine.
“Ako po at ang aking pamilya, sampu ng buong alyansang nakapaloob sa UniTeam, ay labis na nagagalak at buong pusong nagpapasalamat sa suportang inihayag ng kapatirang Iglesia Ni Cristo, sa pangunguna ng kanilang Tagapamahalang Pangkalahatan Kapatid Eduardo V. Manalo,” Marcos said.
Duterte echoed her running-mate’s statement in a pre-recorded video message.
“Ang pagpili sa amin ni Apo Bongbong Marcos bilang mga kandidato na kanilang sinusuportahan sa pagka-presidente at bise presidente sa darating na halalan ay isang malaking karangalan na may kaakibat na hamong nakatuon sa aming kakayahang mapag-isa ang bansa… mapagbuklod ang mga Pilipino… at maitawid and sambayanan sa krisis na dulot ng pandemya,” the lady mayor said.
Marcos Jr., the standard-bearer of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), assured the leadership of INC that the UniTeam will not fail them in choosing them as the next leaders of the country.
“Sisikapin po namin na ang tiwalang ipinagkaloob ng kapatirang Iglesia Ni Cristo ay magbubunga ng tunay na pagkakaisa ng mga Pilipinong nagmamahal sa Pilipinas at walang alinlangan na sama-samang haharap sa mga pagsubok na daraanan sa paghanda ng magandang bukas para sa ating kabataan,” Marcos stressed.
Atty. Vic Rodriguez, spokesperson and chief of staff of Marcos also thanked the leadership of INC for its support to the UniTeam.
“Ang tambalang Bongbong Marcos-Sara Duterte ay buong kababaang loob na tinatanggap ang pag indorso ng mga kapatiran natin mula sa Iglesia Ni Cristo sa pangunguna ng Tagapamahalang Pangkalahatan Kapatid Eduardo Manalo,” Rodriguez said.
“Amin pong pakahahalagahan ang suportang inyong ibinigay katulad din sa suportang ipinamalas ng higit sa mayorya ng ating mga kapwa Pilipino,” he added.
ILOILO SORTIE
Iloilo 1st District Congresswoman and late President Noynoy Aquino’s health secretary Janette Garin hosted the Visayas leg miting de avance of the UniTeam tandem.
“We believe that he [Marcos] is the only presidential candidate who has the most drive or desire to disprove his detractors,” Garin said in an interview with reporters.
“Bawat minuto, bawat segundo, bawat araw walang ibang iisipin kundi maramdaman ng bawat pamilyang Pilipino ang serbisyong kaya niyang ibigay. That drive, that adrenaline will be very beneficial to our people,” she added.
Marcos, who has been running mainly with the promise to bring back the supposed glory days of the Philippines during his father’s presidency, pitched his message of unity and the narrative of the resilience of Filipinos.
“Kung pag-aaralan po natin ang kasaysayan ng Pilipinas,” Marcos said. “Lahat po nang nangyari sa atin, lahat po ng nangyari sa atin, lahat ng kahirapan na dumating, lahat ng sakuna na inabutan ng ating mahal na bansang Pilipinas, tayo po ay nakaraos laman dahil tayo ay nagkaisa.”
Marcos said he insisted on making good on his promise to hold a campaign rally in Guimbal, Iloilo.
“Ang miting de avance ng UniTeam ay pinilit naming na sa Iloilo gagawan. Hindi kami nagkamali sa pagpili ng pagpunta dito sa Guimbal, Iloilo, at nakikita po natin na napakaganda ang suporta dito saamin sa UniTeam,” he said.
To recall, Marcos and Duterte were scheduled to hold a campaign rally in Guimbal town back in February. However, it was rescheduled after townsfolk pointed out that the supposed “Guimbal Stadium” was located on the grounds of Guimbal National High School.
In seeking support from the people of Western Visayas, Duterte said she would continue the programs of her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, to ensure people have jobs and live peaceful lives.
“May adbokasiya kami sa pagkakaisa natin. Kapag kami ang inyong pinili na mga lider, Marcos-Duterte, ay dadalhin namin sa tuloy-tuloy na pagbukas ang ating bansa. Pagbangon mula sa pandemya na wala pong pulitika,” Duterte said
“Itutuloy natin ang mga Build, Build, Build projects ni Pangulong Duterte at ituloy ang programa kontra kriminalidad,” she added.
The event at the Guimbal Football Field saw the attendance of the tandem’s senatorial slate as well as different personalities like actress Toni Gonzaga and comedienne Ai-ai delas Alas, who hosted the gathering.
The Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) also thanked INC for deciding to support the Marcos-Duterte tandem.
Lakas-CMD has an alliance with Marcos, who is the standard-bearer of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas
“In behalf of Lakas-CMD, under which Mayor Sara is running for vice president, let me express our sincerest gratitude to the INC and its millions of members for supporting our candidates. There are no words to describe our appreciation for their decision, and we cannot thank them enough,” House Majority Leader and Lakas-CMD party president Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez said.
“The INC is one of the biggest religious groups in the country. It is known to vote as a bloc. Its announcement today (Tuesday), together with the expressions of support for the BBM-Sara tandem of other religious and sectoral organizations and local officials, seals what we expect to be the landslide victory on Monday of our candidates,” Romualdez said.
Romualdez, one of the campaign managers of Duterte, said Marcos and Duterte spread and shared their message of hope, healing, unity, and patriotism during the entire length of the election campaign.
“With broad support from our people, including INC members, it will be easier for our candidates, should they win the vote, to deliver on their promise of uniting the nation behind its new leaders and the difficult challenges it will face ahead,” Romualdez said.
Marcos and Duterte are currently leading in all the respectable surveys in the country, including Social Weather Station (SWS), Pulse Asia, Octa Research, Laylo and even Kalye surveys.
It can be recalled that in 2016, the INC endorsed Pres. Rodrigo Duterte and Marcos who was then running for vice president.
Politicians traditionally seek the endorsement of the INC, which has been known to deliver the votes of its millions of members.
