MANILA, Philippines--Four more Catholic bishops have expressed support for Ang Kapatiran presidential candidate John Carlos ?JC? de los Reyes, raising the number of prelates who have broken tradition by endorsing a candidate?De los Reyes?to six.

The website of the Catholic Bishops? Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), which as a whole does not endorse candidates, said Bishops Antonio Tobias of Novaliches, Joseph Nacua of Ilagan and Antonio Palang of San Jose de Mindoro, and retired Bishop Teodoro Bacani were for De los Reyes.

Two other prelates, Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles and Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra, had earlier announced their support for him.

Ang Kapatiran?s stand against artificial family planning has gained favor with CBCP members.

Bacani said the political party deserved the support of ?any intelligent Catholic? because it was founded with a Christian agenda.

?I hope it will catch fire in the imagination and hearts of our formation of this political party. I hope people would join it in great numbers and promote it among fellow Filipinos,? Bacani said.

Nacua said he was backing De los Reyes because of Ang Kapatiran?s stand to do away with personality-based politics and to concentrate on spreading their reformist platform.

?Kapatiran stands on principles for the common good, not on personalities. That is the way of genuine representation in government,? Nacua said.

De los Reyes, an Olongapo City councilor, has come in at the bottom of election surveys, however. Kristine L. Alave