No INC endorsement yet for any presidential bet

MANILA, Philippines - The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) has not confirmed the reported claim of Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. that the church group has endorsed his vice presidential bid in the May 9 elections.

INC spokesman Edwil Zabala said their church has not made an official endorsement of Marcos or any other candidate who has sought its support.

However, he also did not deny Marcos’ claim.

“Once we informed our brethren in the Iglesia of which candidates have been selected by the church, that’s the time we will inform the media and the public,” he told The STAR.

A highly placed source revealed that the INC is still deliberating on which candidates it will endorse for its millions of members to vote.

“It just so happened that Bongbong and two other candidates for senator were asked by the church leadership to go back for another meeting; that’s probably why there was a perception that they were selected for endorsement. But the church doesn’t issue partial list of endorsement,” explained the insider, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the confidentiality of the matter.

The insider also bared to The STAR that a group of ministers has been tasked to discern and decide who the church should endorse.

“This group is now in that process and they will just come up with the final decision and a complete list. On the church service before election day, the list containing the chosen candidates from the president down to the mayor will be read to our members,” the source revealed.

The INC has never confirmed that its members are required to vote for those endorsed by the church. It is, however, perceived to deliver “bloc voting” and make candidates win national elections through its command votes of at least five million.

In the 2010 presidential elections, the INC endorsed the candidacy of then senator Benigno Aquino III, who was eventually elected president.

Recently, the church met with presidential candidates Vice President Jejomar Binay, Sen. Grace Poe, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and former interior secretary Manuel Roxas II.

Meanwhile, The STAR learned that the church led by executive minister Eduardo Manalo has decided to support the senatorial bid of former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino.

A tagubilin or instruction was given to INC members in a recent church service for them to support the candidacy of Tolentino and even campaign for him. – With Perseus Echeminada