Iglesia Ni Cristo mum on supposed sample ballot showing endorsement

The leadership of the influential religious sect Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) on Wednesday remained tight-lipped on the names of the candidates that it will be endorsing for the May 9 elections.

In a text message to GMA News Online, spokesperson Edwil Zabala reiterated his earlier statement that no official endorsement yet has been issued by the religious group.

Zabala, however said the leadership has already chosen the candidates that the group will support and is now in the process of informing the INC offices and chapters about it.

“Wala pa rin naman nababago sa sinabi ko sa mga taga-press/media na nagtanong. Kapag nasabi na namin sa mga kapatid namin sa Iglesia kung sino ang napagkaisahang iboboto ng INC ay malalaman din ninyo,” Zabala said.

On Wednesday morning, a supposed sample ballot containing the names of the candidates that the church is endorsing circulated on social media.

Zabala refused to comment when asked by GMA News Online if the leaked sample ballot indeed came from their group or if the names in the ballots reflect the choice of the INC leadership.

Zabala, instead reiterated that the group was still in the process of informing its members.

“Pasensya na, iyan lang ang puwede kong ilabas na statement sa ngayon,” Zabala said.

The leaked sample ballot listed the names of Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as the supposed endorsed candidate of the INC for the presidential and vice presidential posts, respectively.

Also listed in the leaked sample ballot as the senatorial candidates that the INC has supposedly chosen to endorse were senators Franklin Drilon, Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Ralph Recto as well as former senators Richard “Dick” Gordon, Panfilo Lacson and Miguel Zubiri.

Also included in the sample ballot for the senatorial post were Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao, Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, Valenzuela Rep. Shewin Gatchalian, former Akbayan party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros, former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino.

The church is known for influencing its members to vote based on the candidates that its leadership endorses.

Based on the number of its members, the INC is expected to bring about 1.7 million votes to its chosen candidates. —JST, GMA News