MALOLOS CITY—Nancy Binay and Cynthia Villar and eight other senatorial candidates including two independents were endorsed by the Diocese of Malolos, but not Bulakenyo preacher Bro. Eddie Villanueva.
The diocese also endorsed two party list groups namely Pilipino Association for Country-Urban poor Youth Advancement and Welfare (PACYAW) and Adhikaing Tinataguyod ng Kooperatiba (Ating Koop).
The other candidates endorsed by the Church are Margarita Cojuangco, Mitos Magsaysay, Juan Miguel Zubiri, re-electionist Senator Gringo Honasan of the United Nationalist Alliance; re-electionist Senartor Antonio Trillanes III of Team PNoy, Juan Carlos delos Reyes of Ang Kapatiran party, and Rizalito David and Marwil Liasos, both independents.
The names of the above candidates are now printed in tarpaulin posters and are hanging in front of parishes in Bulacan and Valenzuela City.
The Diocese of Malolos said the above candidates and party-list groups were chosen for their pro-life, family and environment stand.
The said criteria is consistent with the pastoral letter issued by Bishop Jose Francisco Oliveros on April 28 saying “huwag iboto ang laban sa buhay at pamilya.”
In the same pastoral letter Oliveros described the choice as a recognition of people who are supporting the teaching of the church.
He also encouraged Bulakenyos to support candidates that will be endorsed by the Solidarity Vote Movement (SVM).
Father Dars Cabral, the director of the Commission on Social Communications of the diocese earlier said that the pastoral letter of Bishop Oliveros was influenced by the result of the voting on Reproductive Health Law last year.
As this developed, it was noticeable that Bulakenyo preacher and televangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva of Bangon Pilipinas Party was not included in the list of candidates endorsed by the Catholic Church.
Punto! asked a parish priest in the province if the decision of the diocese not to endorsed Villanueva is due to his religious background.
Father Ety Ignacio of San Jose Del Monte City said that the SVM and another church-based group came up with the list of candidates endorsed by the Church.
He said that the diocese has nothing to do on the choice of candidates endorsed and why Villanueva was not included.
However, since only 10 senatorial candidates were endorsed, local parishioners in the province said that the last two slots might be reserved for the voter’s choice.
