PRESIDENTIAL frontrunner former Sen. Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., welcomed the endorsement of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) in the May 9 elections even as he vowed that the UniTeam will pursue to unify the country to immediately recover from the pandemic.

Marcos and his running mate Inday Sara Duterte were formally endorsed by the INC last Tuesday, with just six days left before the national polls.

With at least two million voting members, INC faithful are expected to follow the church leaders’ choice of candidates when they vote, in line with their strength in unity doctrine.

“Ako po at ang aking pamilya, sampu ng buong alyansang nakapaloob sa UniTeam, ay labis na nagagalak at buong pusong nagpapasalamat sa suportang inihayag ng kapatirang Iglesia Ni Cristo, sa pangunguna ng kanilang Tagapamahalang Pangkalahatan Kapatid Eduardo V. Manalo,” said Marcos.

“Ang pagpili sa amin ni Apo Bongbong Marcos bilang mga kandidato na kanilang sinusuportahan sa pagka-presidente at bise presidente sa darating na halalan ay isang malaking karangalan na may kaakibat na hamong nakatuon sa aming kakayahang mapag-isa ang bansa … mapagbuklod ang mga Pilipino … at maitawid and sambayanan sa krisis na dulot ng pandemya,” Inday Sara said in a pre-recorded video with Marcos.

The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) standard-bearer assured the leadership of INC that the UniTeam will not fail them in choosing them as the next leaders of the country.

“Sisikapin po namin na ang tiwalang ipinagkaloob ng kapatirang Iglesia Ni Cristo ay magbubunga ng tunay na pagkakaisa ng mga Pilipinong nagmamahal sa Pilipinas at walang alinlangan na sama-samang haharap sa mga pagsubok na daraanan sa paghanda ng magandang bukas para sa ating kabataan,” Marcos stressed.

For his part, Atty. Vic Rodriguez, spokesperson and chief of staff of Marcos also thanked the leadership of INC for its support to the UniTeam.

“Ang tambalang Bongbong Marcos-Sara Duterte ay buong kababaang loob na tinatanggap ang pag indorso ng mga kapatiran natin mula sa Iglesia Ni Cristo sa pangunguna ng Tagapamahalang Pangkalahatan Kapatid Eduardo Manalo,” Rodriguez said.

“Amin pong pakahahalagahan ang suportang inyong ibinigay katulad din sa suportang ipinamalas ng higit sa mayorya ng ating mga kapwa Pilipino,” he added.

Marcos and Duterte are currently leading in all the respectable surveys in the country, including Social Weather Station (SWS), Pulse Asia, Octa Research, Laylo and even Kalye surveys.

It can be recalled that in 2016, the INC endorsed Pres. Rodrigo Duterte and Marcos who was then running for vice president.

Politicians traditionally seek the endorsement of the INC, which has been known to deliver the votes of its millions of members.

It was learned that the INC also backed former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Sr., during the 1965, 1969, 1981 and 1986 presidential elections.

It was proven in recent elections that INC’s bloc voting could deliver victories for most if not all of its chosen candidates.