Iglesia ni Cristo denies endorsement, vows to charge forger

Influential group Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) on Monday said it will press charges against the person who forged an endorsement letter with a fake signature of its executive minister Eduardo Manalo.

The letter, which endorses the candidacy of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, has been circulating in social media.

INQUIRER.net sent a copy of the document to INC spokesperson Edwil Zabala who said “the letter is not from Brother Eduardo Manalo.”

“The moment we identify the person/s responsible for this fraudulent ‘letter’ containing the forged signature of Brother Eduardo Manalo, we will charge them in court,” Zabala told INQUIRER.net.

The document, dated May 2, 2016 and marked with the INC logo, is an alleged endorsement of Duterte by the INC executive minister.

“Nakita natin na mabuting ehemplo, may takot sa Diyos, at bukal ng pag-asa ng ating mga kababayan si Rodrigo Duterte,” the letter said.

“Inaasahan ko ang inyong pagtalima sa hindi mapapasubaliang kautusang ito, bilang bahagi ng inyong tungkuling huwag biguin ang aral at utos ng ating Panginoon,” it added.

Zabala said the members should be the first to know if the INC leadership has announced its choices for the May elections.

He said the actual announcement will be “very near the (election) day itself.”

All five presidential candidates—Duterte, Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, Senator Grace Poe and former secretary Mar Roxas—have visited the INC headquarters on Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City, supposedly to get the support of the influential religious sect.

President Benigno Aquino III on Monday visited Manalo, purportedly to thank the INC for supporting the administration.