5/21/2025 Philippines (International Christian Concern) — After the Philippines’ midterm elections on May 12 handed the Duterte bloc a clear win, Christians expressed concerns about threats to religious freedom.

Vice President Sara Duterte, currently facing an impeachment complaint in the Senate over allegations of fund misuse and incitement to insurrection, saw her allies win five of the 12 contested Senate seats. Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s close associates, Christopher “Bong” Go and Ronald dela Rosa, ranked among the top three vote-getters, solidifying the family’s political foothold despite his ongoing detention in The Hague over human rights charges linked to his anti-drug campaign.

In a striking show of political resilience, the elder Duterte was re-elected as mayor of Davao City from behind bars. His son, Sebastian, was elected vice mayor, while another son, Paolo, secured re-election to Congress.

Religious institutions responded with caution. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) passed Resolution No. 11116 earlier, prohibiting red-tagging and religious discrimination in political campaigning. However, watchdog groups like the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines reported that 78.7% of all campaign-related violations still involved red-tagging by election day.

The Catholic Church, through its Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), deployed roughly 450,000 volunteers to monitor the polls. Yet the influence of the church and other religious groups in shaping election outcomes appears to be waning. Iglesia Ni Cristo’s bloc voting again stirred criticism over alleged coercion, while Catholic and mainline Protestant endorsements had limited visible influence.

Evangelical leaders were among those who voiced alarm. The Mindanao Evangelical Leaders Council (MELC) condemned Duterte’s arrest in a March 21 statement as “oppressive” and “unjust,” urging the government to protect civil liberties.

Prominent figures such as Bishop Noel Pantoja of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches and Bishop Efraim Tendero of the World Evangelical Alliance joined a Dec. 23 prayer gathering at EDSA Shrine to denounce the “self-serving” 2025 national budget and advocate for transparency.

“The right to express one’s faith without fear must be safeguarded,” said Pantoja, emphasizing that political shifts should not undermine spiritual freedoms.

The Christian Values Movement (CVM), launched by Christ Commission Fellowship, initially sought to promote biblically guided voting among youth but has since pivoted to discipleship and leadership development following the elections.

Amid these developments, the Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC) party list, led by evangelist and Jesus Is Lord Church founder, Congressman Bro. Eddie Villanueva secured a seat in the House of Representatives. CIBAC garnered 637,044 votes, accounting for 1.73% of the total party-list votes, placing it 10th among all party-list groups.

This outcome reflects continued public support for CIBAC’s anti-corruption advocacy. CIBAC has consistently been in the Philippine Congress since 2001, championing legislation promoting transparency and government accountability.

With the 2028 presidential race coming, religious leaders and civil society groups are calling for vigilance to protect democratic institutions and ensure that freedom of belief and conscience remains a cornerstone of the nation’s future.  

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