Bam Aquino respects El Shaddai support for admin bets

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Bam Aquino, senatorial candidate of the opposition group Otso Diretso, said on Saturday that he respected charismatic group El Shaddai to endorse 10 administration-backed candidates.

“We’d hoped that there we would have been more of our members endorsed, but I respect the decision of the group. I’m sure they went through a process,” Aquino, the lone opposition senatorial bet endorsed by El Shaddai, told INQUIRER.net in Parañaque City.

El Shaddai endorsed the following candidates who were endorsed either by presidential daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio‘s regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago or by Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), the party of President Rodrigo Duterte:

• 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

READ: El Shaddai backs 14 senatorial candidates

Meanwhile, asked if he was bothered on being endorsed alongside Aquino family rival Marcos, the senator said: “This is the decision of El Shaddai. We respect their decision. We are happy to be included.”

“Many other religious groups are helping us and El Shaddai is a big help,” he said, speaking in Filipino.

Reelectionist Senator Bam Aquino thanks El Shaddai leader Bro. Mike Velarde for including him in the list of the group’s endorsed candidates. | @CMarquezINQ #VotePH2019 https://t.co/Af3MnIXDGH

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 4, 2019

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