Iglesia Ni Cristo endorses Duterte, Bongbong

The Iglesia Ni Cristo has endorsed the candidacies of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for president and vice president, respectively, for the May 9 elections.

According to a report on Eagle News, the official online news site of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, on Thursday, Duterte and Marcos' names were contained in sample ballots that were distributed to all Iglesia Ni Cristo members.

For senatorial candidates, the influential religious group throws its support behind the following:

• former TESDA chief Joel Villanueva,
• former senator Dick Gordon,
• Senate President Franklin Drilon,
• former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros,
• former MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino,
• Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez,
• Sen. Ralph Recto,
• Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao,
• Sen. Vicente Sotto,
• Valenzuela Rep. Win Gatchalian,
• former Senator Panfilo Lacson and
• former Senator Migz Zubiri

Iglesia Ni Cristo, with its membership of close to two million, is known to practice bloc voting during elections.

Eagle News is owned by the Iglesia Ni Cristo-run Eagle Broadcasting Corp.

In a statement, Pete Laviña, head of Duterte's media group, said the endorsement by the Iglesia Ni Cristo "is a big boost to our campaign particularly to thwart attempts by the administration to cheat the elections."

"This endorsement shows that Duterte's advocacy for Tunay Na Pagbabago has resonated to almost all our people and all our church formations affected by the rising crimes and drugs, continuing corruption and government neglect, poverty and sufferings of our people," Laviña said.

"These issues are close to the hearts of our moral leaders and the various churches have their own campaigns to end this malady," he added.  —KBK, GMA News