MANILA, Philippines?Even the leader of the Iglesia ni Cristo is wary of a failure of elections.

INC executive minister Eduardo V. Manalo sent a pastoral letter to all of its churches nationwide which was read last Saturday and Sunday urging his flock to pray for peaceful and honest elections. The INQUIRER obtained a copy of the letter from its Bel-Air Makati locale.

"We join the nation in aspiring for a clean, honest, and peaceful election and in hoping that there will be no problems so serious as to result in a failure of elections that others might use to instigate public unrest. In view of this, we are instructing you not to get involved in any baseless speculations that could only cause fear and apprehension,'' said Manalo, the son of the late Eraño "Ka Erdie" Manalo who transformed this Christian sect into a major force in the elections with the disciplined, bloc-voting of its members.

Manalo and the INC elders are currently holding deliberations until Wednesday on who will be endorsed by the influential religious group.

Manalo has echoed the fears expressed by another religious leader, Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, who said he has been getting "blurred visions'' of the May 10 elections that could indicate an ominous sign of a failure of elections.

This was the reason why Quiboloy, who claims to have six million followers, has yet to name his "chosen one'' in the elections which he was supposed to announce during his lavish birthday celebration on April 25.

A majority of the leading national candidates led by Liberal Party bet Senator Benigno "Noynoy'' Aquino III and civil society organizations have expressed fears that the automated polls was vulnerable to cheating and sabotage by forces that do not want the results of the voting to prevail.

Manalo urged his followers to continue to pray for peaceful and honest elections ``from the casting and canvassing of votes to the proclamation of winners so that the nation's decision will be respected by everyone.''

Since this would be the country's first automated elections, the INC leadership has felt it necessary to send guidelines and information to its members on how to vote in a computerized system. "May all of us be able to exercise correctly and peacefully our right to vote in accordance with our faith,'' said Manalo.