DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/26 April) – Joseph Estrada and Jejomar Binay were leaving at around 10:57 a.m. when Brother Eddie Villanueva and Perfecto Yasay arrived at “Sonshineland” at the Jose Maria College in Catitipan, transformed into a “Disneyland” of sorts last Sunday.
Inside the cathedral of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ The Name Above Every Name, under its dome ceiling painted with cloud-like formations of blue and white, Presidential bets Villanueva, Richard Gordon and Jamby Madrigal and vice presidential bets Perfecto Yasay, stood beside Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, the man who was celebrating his 60th birthday, and whose endorsement candidates had long been waiting for.
Gilberto Teodoro was at the Marco Polo hotel earlier in the morning but he and running mate Edu Manzano were seen later in the afternoon at “Sonshineland.” Independent presidential bet Nicanor Perlas was also reported seen in the afternoon.
Manny Villar and running mate Loren Legarda arrived shortly after lunch.
But shortly after 11 a.m., Quiboloy led the candidates out of the cathedral towards a stage for the first parade of the day featuring children and mascots of Disney and biblical characters. Quiboloy’s birthday is also the 5th National Children’s Day of his kingdom.
With the Presidential and Vice presidential bets onstage were several senatorial candidates like Gwen Pimentel, Ramon Mitra Jr., Silvestre Bello III.
Quiboloy reportedly commands up to six million followers in the Philippines and in other parts of the world. The Philippine Star, however, reported that “there has been no evidence that the Kingdom of Jesus Christ could provide a unified vote similar to that of the Iglesia ni Cristo.”
Quiboloy on February 21, 2010 told Kingdom members at the Cebu International Convention Center that “the only way for the Philippines to ‘take off’ is for the country and its leaders to unite and for a righteous leader to arise, one who has faith and eyes that are focused on the Father’s will.” (MindaNews)