PoliticalArena.com

By Carmela Reyes
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:57:00 08/22/2009

Filed Under: Inquirer Politics, Elections, Eleksyon 2010, Religions

CITY OF MALOLOS — Amid a sea of yellow ribbons commemorating the 26th anniversary of the martyrdom of opposition leader Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., pastor Eddie Villanueva accepted the nomination of his Bangon Pilipinas Party to be its presidential standard-bearer in 2010.

Villanueva said he was running on a campaign platform of seven Es: empowering, emancipating and educating the people, elevating living standards, eradicating bad governance and establishing peace in the land.

“I officially accept today the nomination of the Bangon Pilipinas Party through its chairman, Dr. Cielito Habito, to be the standard-bearer of our party, as President of our country,” Villanueva declared before 10,000 supporters who gathered in front of the historic Barasoain Church here.

Villanueva has been on leave from the Jesus Is Lord Movement, the born-again sect that he founded, to focus on his political plans. Bangon Pilipinas is the JIL’s political party.

‘Politics of God’

The charismatic leader said he was accepting the nomination under what he described as the “politics of God.”

“This is the first cry for change to reform the Philippines,” said Villanueva, who also ran unsuccessfully in the 2004 presidential elections.

He said he chose the Barasoain Church as the venue for his formal nomination because it was the cradle of democracy in Asia.

He noted that the delegates to the revolutionary Malolos Congress had met at the church and ratified Philippine independence. It was where the Malolos Convention framed the Malolos Constitution and inaugurated the first Philippine Republic, the first Republic in Asia, he said.

“Now, the new Philippines is born here,” he said.

He said his candidacy next year would be “a different ball game” from the 2004 elections.

“In 2004, I only had four months to decide before the elections. No watchers, no nationwide network,” he said.

He also assailed critics who said that religious leaders should be disqualified from engaging in politics.

“The [purpose of the doctrine of the] separation of Church and State is to shield the public from being used by any religious group. It is not to prevent churches from taking part in politics,” he said.

His party’s senatorial lineup includes religious leaders like Tom Meneses of the Seventh Day Adventist Church and lawyer Ramoncito Ocampo, a leader of the Catholic lay sect El Shaddai.

The more, the merrier

Commenting on a similar plan to run for President by another born-again preacher, the El Shaddai charismatic sect’s Mike Velarde, Villanueva said: “The more, the better choices for the Filipino people.”

He said his party is open to what he called a “righteous alliance” with other political groups or candidates.

He said his party would accept an alliance with those “who are qualified and open for changes,” calling it a “politics of new beginnings.”

“They have to adhere to the vision of clean governance,” he said.

He said they would only support candidates who have a “clean record and those who are not involved in corruption and scandal.”

“Our call is for all the Filipino people to stand united and strong for an honest and peaceful election minus the manipulation,” he said.

In Malacañang, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde welcomed the presidential candidacies of Villanueva and Velarde.

“The entry and advent of religious leaders in the political arena is very much welcome and may their entry bring about some sort of a sanctifying grace in Philippine politics,” he said. With TJ Burgonio