Bro. Mike Velarde of the El Shaddai Catholic Charismatic Group (File photo from Radyo Inquirer)
Updated @ 7:44 p.m., May 4, 2019
MANILA, Philippines — With just nine days before the 2019 May midterm polls, Catholic charismatic group El Shaddai endorsed the senatorial bid of 14 candidates.
Ten of these candidates are endorsed either by the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HMP), the regional party of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, presidential daughter, or the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), the party of President Rodrigo Duterte.
El Shaddai leader Bro. Mike Velarde said the group would support the following 10 pro-administration candidates:
- reelectionist Sen. Cynthia Villar
- reelectionist Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III
- reelectionist Sen. Sonny Angara
- reelectionist Sen. JV Ejercito
- Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos
- former Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.
- former Sen. Jinggoy Estrada
- Christopher “Bong” Go, former special assistant to the President
- Francis Tolentino, former presidential political adviser
- Bato dela Rosa, former chief of the Bureau of Corrections
Following are four other senatorial bets endorsed by El Shaddai:
- reelectionist Sen. Nancy Binay, who is running under the United Nationalist Alliance, the part of her father, former Vice President Jejomar Binay
- reelection Sen. Grace Poe, who is running as an independent
- Dr. Willie Ong, who is also running as an independent
Meanwhile, only reelectionist Sen. Bam Aquino, candidate from the opposition Otso Diretso, got the support of the group. /atm