Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 25) — Catholic bishops on Friday touted religious groups that supported certain candidates, most of which backed Vice President Leni Robredo and Sen. Kiko Pangilinan.
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Bishop Pablo Virgilio David cited the endorsements of Couples for Christ international council, Catholic youth group Ligaya ng Panginoon, De La Salle Brothers of the Taft Community, and more than 100 Jesuit priests, among others.
“When our members in the church are able to reach the proper names through the procedure of discernment and consensus building, I will say we are proud of them. Proud kami sa mga example ng maraming Catholic groups [we are proud of the many Catholic groups] that have gone through a similar process and have come up with a collective principled stand,” he said in a media briefing.
CBCP was also asked if a Catholic group were to endorse Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
David replied, “If the people can honestly say they followed their conscience at ito ay [this is] guided by truth, not by disinformation.”
CBCP also released a pastoral letter that urged Filipinos to stand for truth amid “radical distortions” about martial law of then dictator Ferdinand Marcos and the EDSA People Power Revolution that ousted him 36 years ago.
CBCP said it will not endorse a candidate, but it encouraged the faithful to be more involved in empowering voters to choose the candidates with upright morals and principles.
