The Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), an independent church founded during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines, congratulated Bishop Pablo Virgilio "Ambo" David of Kalookan after he was formally elevated to the rank of cardinal.

David, also the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), received his red hat from Pope Francis during a consistory at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican over the weekend.

In a statement, Most Reverend Joel Porlares, Obispo Maximo (Supreme Bishop) of the 122-year-old church, hailed David, noting that his elevation "brings in another reason to raise hope and gather strength amidst growing confusion, apathy, and [fear] in the country."

"As a bishop who stands and [raises his] voice against grave abuse of authority in the use of lethal force and violence in anti-drugs war and red-tagging, and who cries with the victims and their families in their struggle for justice, his ascent into higher moral and spiritual platform means so much to us," Porlares said.

"The transforming and caring presence of Bishop David and the rising trust in the Church, evidenced by his selection to the College of Cardinals, validate even more the necessity of the ministry of shepherding amidst abuse and chaos that Jesus requires then and now when He presented Himself as the Good Shepherd and repeatedly demanded love from Peter by the command to feed the sheep," he added.

The religious leader urged Aglipayan faithfuls to "let Cardinal David's pastoral and spiritual leadership be an active inspiration to us."

The country's first and oldest wholly Filipino-led church currently has 51 dioceses. Its central office is located at the National Cathedral of the Holy Child in Ermita, Manila.

Labor leader Isabelo delos Reyes of Vigan, Ilocos Sur proclaimed the IFI's establishment on 3 August 1902.

Meanwhile, CBCP announced David's promotion to cardinal on 6 October. He is the 10th cardinal from the Philippines.

According to CBCP, the cardinal will choose the next pope, and "almost certainly, the next pope will be one of them."

Hailing from Guagua, Pampanga, David earned his bachelor's degree in Pre-Divinity from Ateneo de Manila University, and both his licentiate and doctorate in Sacred Theology from the KU Leuven in Belgium.

He was ordained a priest in March 1983 in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando in Pampanga.