MANILA - Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer Isko Moreno Domagoso on Tuesday said he respects the Iglesia Ni Cristo's (INC) bloc voting practice and urged its members to support whoever the sect's leaders would endorse for president.

Several reports earlier claimed that the religious sect - known for its bloc voting practice - would endorse the presidential bid of former Sen. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and the Vice Presidential candidacy of Davao City Mayor Sara Durterte Carpio.

"Sa Iglesia Ni Cristo, hindi ko alam ano ang desisyon but I continue to respect the church, INC, the sect and their choices," Domagoso told reporters.

"They are still citizens of the country, they are voters, they are entitled to choose kung sino ang iboboto nila, kung ano ang mapagkakaisahan (who they will vote, who they will collectively endorse)," he said.

While there is no guarantee that he would get INC's support, Domagoso emphasized that the sect's members should continue to obey their leaders' decision regarding who to vote for the 2022 national elections.

"Kung ano man ang magiging desisyon ng ating tagapamahalang pangkalahatan, ng Ka Eduardo, mga kapatid, sumunod kayo kasi yun ang aral," he said.

"Kailangan patuloy tayong sumunod sa mga tagubilin at aral ng tagapamahala... [dahil] diyan tumibay, diyan lumaki, diyan nakilala hindi lang sa Pilipinas kung 'di sa buong mundo ang Iglesia Ni Cristo," he said.

(Whatever the decision of our overall leader Ka Eduardo is, you must follow it because that is the doctrine. You have to remain obedient to his teachings because that is how Iglesia Ni Cristo became strong, big and known not only in the Philippines, but in the whole world.)

In 2019, INC backed Domagoso's mayoralty bid against former President and then-Manila Mayor Joseph "Erap" Estrada.

"I will respect that with all honesty, with all my heart because at some point in my life, ako naman din ay tinaguyod ng ating mga kapatid sa Iglesia at ako din ay binigyan ng pagkakataon ng Ka Eduardo sa maraming laban ko sa buhay," he said.

(I will respect that with all honesty, with all my heart because at some point in my life, our brothers from Iglesia also helped me, and Ka Eduardo also gave me a lot of chances in several fights.)

"Life must go on but we must continue to listen and heed to the call ng ating tagapamahalang pangkahalatan (of our overall leader)."

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