Roque gets El Shaddai endorsement

UniTeam senatorial candidate Harry Roque thanked religious group El Shaddai for supporting his bid for a Senate seat in the May elections.

Roque specifically expressed his gratitude to El Shaddai servant-leader Brother Mike Velarde, for his endorsement on Saturday.

Thousands of El Shaddai supporters gathered at their House of Prayer in Parañaque and reaffirmed their endorsement of UniTeam standard-bearers Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte.

Roque was invited to the event, along with other UniTeam senatorial candidates Jose Migz Zubiri, Gibo Teodoro, Loren Legarda, Sen. Win Gatchalian and Jinggoy Estrada.

With almost 8 million members, El Shaddai is the Philippines’ largest Catholic charismatic movement, and is perceived to deliver the votes for their anointed candidates like the Iglesia ni Cristo during elections.

Roque has rallied Bongbong loyalists and Sara supporters to troop to voting precincts on 9 May and strictly follow health protocols to prevent another upsurge of Covid-19 cases.

“We should elect legislative and local officials whose socio-economic vision aligns with the Marcos-Duterte national agenda of recovery and progress,” Roque said.

The health and human right advocate also cautioned voters to observe public health and safety standards against Covid-19 as they exercise their democratic right to choose the country’s next leaders.

Roque is expecting a higher turnout in this year’s presidential polls than in 2016 based on the crowds that flocked UniTeam caravans and campaign rallies across the nation. According to Commission on Elections, 81 percent of the electorate participated in the last presidential election.

“True Christians should lead the government so that righteousness reign in public service. If I’m elected lawmaker once again, I shall strictly adhere to the teachings of the Church against stealing, fraud, and corruption,” Roque said.

If elected to the Senate, Roque would sponsor bills on “zero hunger” in the country by 2028, the right to potable water for all Filipinos, job creation for pandemic-affected workers, and continued rehabilitationfor typhoon “Odette” victims.

He promised to push for a Victims Compensation Fund wherein the government would directly indemnify victims of murder and a ‘three-day court hearing’ rule to speed up the legal process.