JE C.C.
The Iglesia Ni Cristo members who support the Leni-Kiko tandem voiced their opposition to their Church leaders’ endorsement of the former dictator’s son Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. as President and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte as Vice President.
Not all members of the religious sect, Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC), are happy with their church leaders’ press announcement, which informed the politicians that the church is backing up the presidential and vice-presidential campaigns of the defeated 2016 vice presidentiable Bongbong Marcos and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, respectively.
It can be recalled INC also backed Marcos Jr.’s vice-presidential bid in 2016, but lost.
Known for being a bloc-voting religious organization, INC’s endorsement has enthralled many politicians in the many past elections, as its more than 2.5 million registered voters can seal a candidate’s win, especially when the gap between the first and second placer is tight. Getting the church’s elusive and highly-coveted backing can sometimes make an aspiring politician’s dream come true.
It is interesting to note, however, that many of the presidential, vice-presidential, and senatorial aspirants that INC endorsed in the past six elections failed to secure the seat they gunned for.
The sect pushed for the presidential campaigns of Ferdinand Marcos in 1986, and Danding Cojuangco in 1992, but lost to Corazon Aquino and Fidel V.Ramos, respectively.
Also, the church is notorious for backing the candidacies of infamous elected presidents, including Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who were both accused of plunder. The Church also backed the dictator, Ferdinand Marcos, in all elections he took part with. The INC’s endorsements are widely believed to be based upon the results of the leading opinion polls.
On social media, INC members, who are also Kakampinks, rejected the endorsement, with many of them affirming their commitment to preserving the doctrines of the Church by not voting for the candidates endorsed by their church leaders.
“I’m a devoted and an active INC member. Mula sa isang local sa Montalban. My family and I will still vote for Leni and Kiko. We will not vote for thieves,” said @TwiceForLeni.
I'm a devoted and an active INC member. Mula sa isang local sa Montalban. My family and I will still vote for Leni and Kiko. We will not vote for thieves.#kakampINC
— Twice For Leni (@TwiceForLeni) May 3, 2022
Elizabeth Ongsioco noted how the 2022 national poll is unique from the previous ones.
“First elections that I read INC members saying that they’ll vote for VP @lenirobredo even if their church endorses another candidate. My respect to them,” she rweeted.
https://twitter.com/bethangsioco/status/1520907956443029505
Apple believed that it is high time that she would follow what her heart truly wants.
“I was born and raised not to question our faith and just follow whatever the people in our religion say. Now, I choose to follow my own heart. I choose to follow what’s right for me, for the people around me, and the country. Now, I choose the Philippines.”
https://twitter.com/appIecrossing/status/1521711184126578688
Karmen, meanwhile, is bent on proving that her church’s bloc voting is merely a myth. “Iglesia ako at may tungkulin sa kapisanan at.kinalulungkot ko ang sinusuportahan ng tagapamahala. Conscience vote ang gagawin ko kaya Leni/kiko at katropa ang iboboto ko (I am an INC member, and I have duties to fulfill for the Church…but our elders’ choices sadden me. I will be voting based on what my conscience dictates, that’s why I am for Leni-Kiko)” she explained in her tweet.
Iglesia ako at may tungkulin sa kapisanan at.kinalulungkot ko ang sinusuportahan ng tagapamahala. Conscience vote ang gagawin ko kaya Leni/kiko at katropa ang iboboto ko. #blockvotingisamyth
— Karmen San Diego (@KarmenSanDieg10) May 3, 2022
Arnulfo reminded his fellow INC faithfuls of what has been written in the Bible. “INC ako and it is written in the bible, “Thou shall not steal!” Utos yan ng diyos. Shame on you INC leaders. I’ll vote for Leni and Kiko,” his tweet said.
INC ako and it is written in the bible, "Thou shall not steal!" Utos yan ng diyos. Shame on you INC leaders. I'll vote for Leni and Kiko. #KakampINC #KakamPINK #LeniRobredo #IglesiaNiCristo
— Arnulfo Filipinas (@ArnulfoFilipin1) May 3, 2022
The #KakampINC hashtag topped the local trending topics chart, which is also dominated by other hashtags and topics linked to Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Kiko Pangilinan.
