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Noynoy to personally apologize to ‘Pastor Q’ for forum snub

By Angie M. Rosales

03/12/2010

Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III said he is planning to personally apologize to Pastor Apollo “Pastor Q” Quiboloy for not attending a presidential candidates’ debate organized and sponsored by the influential religious leader in Davao City a few days ago.

“When I go to Davao I will seek an audience and explain to him. It was something beyond my control,” Aquino said.

Quiboloy said a mouthful against Aquino after he backed out at the last minute from attending a presidential forum the charismatic religious head had hosted in Davao City last Tuesday.

He openly berated Aquino before his followers after reading the senator’s letter notifying him of that the senator would not be able to attend the event.

Quiboloy said it was Aquino who chose the date for the holding of the forum that was dubbed “Sukatan 2010,” which was attended by six other presidential aspirants, namely Partido ng Masang Pilipino standard-bearer, deposed President Joseph Estrada; Sen. Richard Gordon of the Bagumbayan party; administration Lakas-Kampi-CMD bet Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, Bangon Pilipinas’ Eduardo “Bro. Eddie” Villanueva and independent candidates Sen. Jamby Madrigal and Nicanor Perlas.

Aside from Aquino, two other presidential bets were also not able to come to the forum – Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar Jr. of the Nacionalista Party and JC Castro, another independent candidate.

Aquino said he had to beg off from the event upon the advice of his doctor, who told him to rest so that he could recover from an ailment he had called barosinusitis

The senator told reporters covering his campaign sortie in Zamboanga City that he will seek out Quiboloy if and when he returns to Davao City to reassure the religious leader that he did not deliberately snub the forum.

Aquino said he has not yet fully recovered from his ailment. He said he developed complications from a cold while going on a five-day campaign swing last week in the Visayas.

He said his doctor had advised him to rest at least two days so the medicines that was prescribed to him can take effect.

The great care and concern with which Aquino is treating his “offense” against Quiboloy apparently gives credence to what a retired Catholic bishop has said earlier this week on the reason poll candidates have been seeking the religious leader out to gain his approval.

According to retired Lingayen, Pangasinan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, with the number of his congregation having surpassed that of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), the presidential candidates would certainly jockey with each other to obtain Quiboloy’s endorsement.

Cruz said the religious group Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) founded by Quiboloy in Davao City is a “strong one-vote group” in the coming polls and this is the reason the latter is being courted by politicians, especially those running for the national positions.

“Because the Quiboloy sect apparently has a very strong kingdom vote, meaning to say they were like the previous INC that what the founder says the followers will do. So up to now I am certain

that the Quiboloy kingdom is a very strong one-vote group,” Cruz told reporters on Monday.

He said the INC had been the foremost religious group that was being wooed by poll bets whenever elections were nearing, but with the death of its leader, Eraño Manalo, its “unity” had become “not as solid as before.”

Cruz moreover said even the El Shaddai evangelistic group of Mariano “Bro. Mike” Velarde could not match the voting prowess of the KJC.

“The Velarde group is also neither that solid anymore. Formerly, they were very solid...but Quiboloy is something else, he is considered (by his followers) as the Son of God or Jesus Christ himself. By bestowing on him such a title (and authority), I presume they will follow whatever he says that stands to reason,” the retired Catholic prelate said.

“So I presume that the flocking there (Davao City) of candidates is (to be able to obtain) the solid bloc vote (of the KJC),” he added.

While there are some bishops who are endorsing particular candidates in the coming polls, the leadership of the Catholic Church said it will not, as an institution, endorse any candidate.

With Marie A. Surbano

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