Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 5) – The tandem of Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Kiko Pangilinan continues to secure backing from members of the Catholic church, with the latest group comprising of 200 clergy, religious, and consecrated persons from the Archdiocese of Cebu.
Robredo’s daughter Tricia received the statement of individual support for the tandem, her camp said on Thursday.
The group expressed that the May elections have become “the battle for the soul” of the Philippines.
“It is a fight not just between political personalities. Rather, we are asked to decide whether we want a government guided by the rule of law and respect for our cherished freedoms, or do we want to continue the gradual, though evident, diminution of our liberties,” they said.
“We are painfully aware of the dangers of the Church becoming power brokers. But times are extremely abnormal and we believe that silence in front of a possible return of a lamented past is even more dangerous,” they added.
The statement from the Cebu Archdiocese also quoted a passage from the Bible where it urges individuals to choose persons who are “able”, “fear God”, and “trustworthy and hate dishonest gain”.
They stressed that both Robredo and Pangilinan “embody integrity and concern for the marginalized, which the Church has always advocated.”
The individuals also emphasized that Robredo, the lone woman among presidential candidates, has the capacity to “inspire people to do good” in the wake of the waves of volunteerism triggered by her presidential bid.
