By JOHN CARLO M. CAHINHINAN
KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato – Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte will let the senatorial bets supported by her political entity, Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) to individually seek endorsements from influential religious groups in the midterm polls.
In a recent interview in Koronadal City, Mayor Duterte said that it’s up for the HNP-backed candidates to individually secure the much needed backing from noteworthy religious organizations such as Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) and El Shaddai.
“Sinasabi namin as kanila for example like yung bloc voting ng INC, individual na ang decision kung pupunta sila o sususulat sila and makikiusap sila,” said Mayor Duterte.
INC is reportedly known for its implementation of the so-called bloc voting while the endorsement given by El Shaddai leader Bro. Mike Velarde to his preferred candidates did matter for its members in the previous elections.
INC, currently headed by Eduardo V. Manalo, reportedly has more or less 2.6-million voters during the 2016 Presidential Elections, when it reportedly endorsed the candidacies of the Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and then Senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos.
Duterte won the presidency by more than 16-million votes while Marcos lost by a slim margin against then Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo in a highly contested vice-presidential race.
Ten of the 12 senatorial candidates endorsed by INC have also entered the Magic 12 during the 2016 polls.
The leadership of INC is once again expected to release a list of its preferred senatorial bets for the midterm elections next month.
Earlier, the Presidential daughter expressed confidence that candidates being endorsed by Malacañang will secure the support of the pre-dominantly Catholic voters despite his father’s fresh tirades against the local Catholic Church.
Mayor Duterte also shrugged off the wishful thinking analysis of some senatorial candidates from the Liberal Party-led Otso Diretso that the chief executive’s series of verbal attacks against the Catholic Church in the country may result into a so-called Catholic vote for the opposition senatorial slate.
The post Kanya-kanyang ligaw na lang! Hugpong bets can seek religious votes on their own – Sara appeared first on Latest Philippine politics news today.
* This article was originally published here
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