DASMARINAS, CAVITE, MARCH 4, 2022 – Vice-presidential aspirant Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Friday said the Church is listening to the voice of its flock when it opens its doors to some candidates.
When media asked him about the Church allegedly being used for political purposes, Pangilinan said: “Simbahan ang ginagamit ng Diyos.”
Some pro-administration supporters are questioning the visits of the Leni-Kiko campaign to churches in their sorties.
“Tingin ko, ang nangyayari, nakikinig ang Simbahan sa hinaing ng tao, kaya may mga pinapayagan silang mga kandidato na kausapin ang iba pa,” Pangilinan said in a separate interview.
“Yun ang duty ng Simbahan dahil doon nananahan ang Diyos. Diyos ng Kasaysayan,” he added.
Various Church groups have supported the tandem of presidential aspirant Leni Robredo and Pangilinan. Among them the priests and brothers from the Jesuit order which runs the Ateneo network of schools in the Philippines, the La Sallian brothers, and the faculty members of University of Santo Tomas.
Traditionally, except for the Iglesia ni Cristo, there is no Church vote.
Iglesia ni Cristo’s political choice are usually announced a few days before election day.
More than 100 priests and brothers from the Jesuit order, which runs the Ateneo network of schools in the Philippines, endorsed presidential bet Leni Robredo and running mate Kiko Pangilinan for the May 9 elections.
The Philippines is predominantly Catholic at 83%. Muslims are 4% of the population, and Iglesia at 3%.