Perennially INC-endorsed Ping says he respects group’s decision

MANILA — Presidential candidate Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday said he respects the decision of the leadership of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) to endorse frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos in the May 9 elections.

Lacson said any endorsement from any group which suggests a bloc vote is welcome.

It is the second time the influential religious group opted not to include him in its endorsement following its backing when he ran for lawmaker.

“Any endorsement from particular group, particularly mga malalaking grupo syempre (big groups) most welcome, especially tinatawag nating (what we call) bloc voting. So talagang (really) it also matters. Marami rin naman naendorse na hindi nanalo. Meron din naman hindi na-endorse na nanalo (There were candidates endorsed who did not win and there were not endorsed but won). In my case, in all my senatorial runs, I was endorsed so I won. Ito ang second time na probably na hindi ako ieendorse ng Iglesia (This is the second time that probably the Iglesia does not endorse me),” Lacson said.

The lawmaker, who is trailing fourth to fifth place in unofficial polls less than a week from the scheduled elections on Monday, acknowledged that surveys play a lot in enticing attention from endorsers and supporters.

“Hindi naman lahat ng election mag-eexpect ka na ieendorse ka. Yun ang downside minsan ng survey, even yung sinasabi ko nga kay Tito Sen, even ang traditional campaign contributors, tumitingin sa survey (You cannot expect to be endorsed in every election. That is the downside of a survey, I was telling Tito Sen (vice presidential candidate Tito Sotto) that even traditional campaign contributors look at surveys),” he said.

Sotto urged group leaders to look into individual qualifications of candidates they endorse to their flock.

“We can only hope, we can only wish that all the groups that are endorsing candidates will base it on track record and what they have done, and not based on surveys,” said Sotto, who is trailing behind Marcos’ running mate Sara Duterte-Carpio.

Without surveys, Lacson said they might have received more financial support but added they appreciated the decision of “true believers” to remain with them.