At least 100 leaders of Christian groups nationwide have openly expressed their full support for presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao’s endorsers from the group included bishops and pastors.
The leaders identify themselves as the “M610 Coalition of Christian Leaders,” as indicated in their press statement forwarded to ABS-CBN News by Bishop Noel Pantoja, National Director of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC).
“We, the M610 Coalition of Christian Leaders, composed of some 40,000 Leaders, Pastors, and Bishops of Christian Movements in the country and worldwide are endorsing Bro. Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao Sr. for President,” the group said.
There are other religious leaders abroad endorsing Pacquiao, Pantoja said.
The group’s name, according to Pantoja, was derived from the Holy Bible’s verse M610 or Matthew 6 verse 10, which states: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven.”
Pantoja serves as Pacquiao’s spiritual adviser.
“Those who have signed are national and regional leaders (of the Christian group) … We represent about 6 million people,” Pantoja, in a phone interview, said.
But while the leaders have already advised their members to support Pacquiao, members are not being pressured to follow, Pantoja stressed.
In its statement, the group pointed out Pacquiao’s “discipline, wisdom, humility, determination, and fear of God” as the best qualities that make him fit to run the nation.
“His discipline, wisdom, humility, determination, and fear of God made him the only eight-division world champion and turned his life from abject poverty to a successful businessman-philanthropist and non-compromising political leader. We see in him a person who is prepared and has the character and competence needed to lead in good governance for a better Philippines,” the group said.
Pacquiao, the religious leaders added, is a “reformed man” who loves the poor and has a vision of how to thwart corruption.
“And most of all, one who loves God above all things,” they said.
