Bacani slams Bro. Mike Velarde for endorsing Marcos Jr.

Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani. (File photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — Bishop Teodoro Bacani, spiritual adviser of the Catholic charismatic group El Shaddai, on Monday slammed its leader and founder Bro. Mike Velarde for his endorsement of presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., calling it a “completely wrong” move.

“How can you endorse a person like Bongbong Marcos who has been untruthful in his statements regarding himself?” Bacani said in a phone interview.

“He (Marcos Jr.) has not shown any repentance nor apologized … the whole Marcos, Imelda, and family,” he said, referring to the atrocities that happened during the more than two-decade reign of dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

On Saturday, Velarde endorsed the tandem of Marcos and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, based on photos shared by the Partido Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats that showed the El Shaddai leader raising the hands of the two candidates.

But according to Bacani, this was a personal endorsement of Velarde and not for the whole El Shaddai community.

“He did not consult the spiritual elders and leaders,” Bacani said, noting that they were surprised with the announcement of Velarde.

Bacani said followers of the Catholic charismatic group were not obliged to follow Velarde’s endorsement of the Marcos-Duterte tandem.

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