‘GMA has Shaddai, Lacson has INC’

The Catholic charismatic group El Shaddai will likely support President Arroyo while the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) appears to be backing Sen. Panfilo Lacson in the May 2004 presidential elections, a ranking member of the House of Representatives said yesterday.

The congressman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the El Shaddai, headed by Mike Velarde and with about seven million members, can deliver around three to five million votes to candidates it endorses.

On the other hand, the Christian sect INC — which votes as a bloc — can deliver as much as two million votes to any candidate it chooses to support.

Religious groups, as in elections past, are again seen to hold sway in the May 10, 2004 national elections, with at least three sects expected to back different presidential candidates.

Another influential Christian group is the Jesus is Lord (JIL) Movement headed by Eddie Villanueva, who can deliver a minimum of 1.5 million votes to any presidential aspirant.

Villanueva, however, is reportedly thinking of running for president himself.

The congressman said the Arroyo administration has been making several overtures to the INC to support the President for continuity in economic and political reforms.

The source said the INC could be supporting Lacson because of the senator’s ties with the sect and with some of its members still loyal to deposed President Joseph Estrada.

Lacson is currently battling the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) faction of Sen. Edgardo Angara, who is supporting the presidential bid of movie actor Fernando Poe Jr.

For his part, Speaker Jose de Venecia said the administration is counting on the support of religious groups for Mrs. Arroyo’s victory.

De Venecia said that as in previous elections, the support of the religious groups greatly boosts the chances of victory of any candidate.

He admitted that the administration is having talks with the religious groups but refused to say whether the sects have committed support.