The Roman Catholic Bishop of Kalookan on Saturday denied the letter circulating online claiming to be from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and Cardinal Pablo Virgilio "Ambo" David endorsing any political candidates for the 12 May elections.

David also urged the public to verify information before sharing.

"Let's all be responsible and help stop the spread of disinformation," he added.

Meanwhile, CBCP Secretary General Bernardo Pantin reiterated that the Catholic Church "does not endorse specific candidates."

"It only offers guidelines to help the faithful make informed choices based on moral and social teachings. If names of candidates are mentioned in supposed Church endorsements, consider them false or misleading," Pantin said.

Unlike some religious groups, the Catholic Church has long shunned endorsing or recommending political candidates to its faithful.