Bro. Mike: Looking for a ‘unifying president’
Mariano "Brother Mike" Velarde, leader of the El Shaddai religious group, was guest of honor in the general membership meeting of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP).
The members of MAP are composed of influential business leaders in the country.
In his speech, Bro. Mike talked about restoring morality in national and local governance as well as in private companies.
He said that a moral leader is one who listens and honors the word of God. He also said that a leader must not tell a lie, has commitment and should honor his promises.
In the 2010 elections, Velarde urged business leaders to support a healing President - one that will reconcile the different factions and political groups of our society.
He admitted that the reason why he is entertaining thoughts of running for the presidency is because he has not yet found a presidential aspirant that can unite the country.
In the past several days a campaign for 10-million signatures has been launched by Bro. Mike's supporters to convince him to run for the presidency.
Asked if this will convince him to run, he said he will have to pray real hard and ask guidance from the Lord.
When asked during the open forum portion whether he would support the filing of charges against President Arroyo in case he becomes country’s chief executive, Bro. Mike answered that he will leave it up to the courts and the justice department to do such action if they have strong evidence.
He said that what he wants to do is to reconcile every Filipino including Mrs. Arroyo and former president Joseph “Erap” Estrada. He said he wants to focus on eradicating poverty and corruption.
On the allegations of acquiring behest loans that have been hurled at him, he challenged anyone to prove this story saying that he does not have one and does not need to take out a loan.
Asked on the issue of separation of church and state, Bro. Mike said that it is “the people that is the state and that the people that is also the church” - meaning that the values and guidance of the church should be also be followed in government. He said that if elected President he will adopt the laws of God.
Bro. Mike also reiterated that his support for Mrs. Arroyo is only until 2010 and that if there is a Constitutional Convention to change the Constitution in 2010 he will run to be a delegate. He said he would help craft good, moral laws for the country among which, he said, is to institutionalize people power by having a recall of election even for the president.
Asked about a “secret deal” he had with Estrada, Bro. Mike said that last month he had a meeting with the former president. He said he advised the former president not to run anymore for the country to move on. But if Estrada insists on filing his candidacy and is disqualified by the Supreme Court, he said the former president will have to support him.
At the end of the forum he reminded everyone about a passage in the Bible that “man does not live by bread alone.” By Jay Ruiz, ABS-CBN News
Printer-friendly version
Send to friend
Share your views
ERAP-BINAY WITH CHIZ and MIKE VELARDE
Brother Mike tulungan mo na lang si pareng Erap mo na makabalik sa Malacañang upang maiayos ang napesteng pulitika ng masa at bayan sa pesteng slogan na People's Power ng mga elitistang pulitika katolika.
Hindi Kaya Ni Mike Kaya't Naghahanap Siya Ng Iba.
Hirap dito sa brother natin, nagawa niyang itatag ang El Shaddai at marami ang naniniwala sa kanyang mga pinagsasabi pero bakit yata pagdating na sa pagiging presidente e naduduwag siya? Siguro marami siyang alam na nangyari sa Malakanyang at para na siyang masusuka dahil hindi na niya masikmura ito. Ang tao nga namang may konsiyensiya ay hindi puwedeng maging presidente sapagka't magiging kalaban lamang niya iyong mga ibang walang budhi at ang nasa isip ay ang kanilang sarili lamang.
Tangkilikin na lamang kaya niya si Noynoy, iyan yata ang uso ngayon sa politika di po ba? Kaya lang baka magbalik na naman ang mutiny tulad nung panahon ni Cory. Ah, bahala na!
i'll wait and see...
While I tried to share my criticisms to some of our presidentiables with the end in view of opening the eyes of the people, I believe it's too early to chastise some of them. May iba dyan na desididong tumakbo lalo na yong maraming pera at buo ang political machinery, pero karamihan dyan ay pumupustura lang. Just testing the waters, ika nga for their own selfish motives. Sayang kasi yong maagang campaign donations at possible political groups na pwedeng ipagpalit ng "concessions" pag-atras ng isang kandidato.
May isa dyan na, with his battery of lawyers, ay alam na alam ang isang existing Supreme Court decision na nag-a-absuwelto sa isang kandidato kapag siya ay nanalo sa eleksyon (ang rason ay katibayan ng pagpapatawad kapag ang isang makasalang kandidato ay inihalal ng tao sa pwesto). Meron dyan, bigla na lang tatalon sa kabilang bakod, di ba? Nangyari na ito noon kaya malamang mangyayari din ngayon. Money speaks lalong-lalo na sa eleksyon. Personally, I don't really believe Bro. Mike will run because he is fully aware that he has a slim chance of winning. Kaya hihintayin ko na lang mga two weeks before election; by that time, all out na akong magpuna.
No one is capable of unifying the Nation...
Bro. Mike should go back to spiritual awakening. Politics is the place for people who want to amazed so many unexplained wealth. He likes to be one.
If Bro. Mike ONLY wants to run because he did not see anyone probable presidential candidate who is morally upright to lead the country - that to me is so self-serving! He wants to tell the Filipinos that he is the ONLY person who has the moral capacity to lead.
I will symphatize with Bro. Mike if he turns his back to GMA when the incumbent president circumvent the will of the Filipino people. In many occassions, Bro. Mike supported the evils and the cheats and the lies because he is able to obtain more concessions and favors from the power that be.
Ah, political butterfly and moral servitude in an advanced state of bankruptcy. Clearly, he had mastered the law of "How (NOT) to use the name of God to propagate personal adventure, opportunism and greed of this morally-bankrupt family.
Already have a Congressman, a church and millions of followers; his next aim is too high, too ambitious and too much wealth and power.
Bro. Mike is HE!
Bro Mike - paki explica lang pong maigi!
Brother Mike,
Congratulations Po! Sa successful na "SILVER JUBILLE"....masayang-masaya po yung mga kamag-anakan ko....pati yung mga visiting priests from California....
Again, Brother Mike....Please excuse me....the more you show up in public and give speeches addressing various communities....regarding your thoughts of "WHO SHOULD LEAD OUR NATION".....the more "VAGUELY" it is received by the "MASANG-PILIPINO"...isama na rin po natin ang A-B-C.....hanggang XYZ social classes (lahat-lahat na ika nga)...
To quote you.....as mentioned above..."Asked on the issue of separation of church and state, Bro. Mike said that it is “the people that is the state and that the people that is also the church” - meaning that the values and guidance of the church should be also be followed in government. He said that if elected President he will adopt the laws of God.
Brother Mike....The "SUBLIMINAL" messages that PEOPLE will see thru your response are the following:
(1) That CURRENTLY, There is "NOBODY" qualified as a "UNIFIER"....di po magandang mensahe iyun.....MAS MAHIRAP SIGURONG MAGLAGAY TAYO ng "BAGONG" PERSONALITY......na walang "track-records"......
(2) That "PEOPLE = Church = State" is a BORDERLINE STATEMENT in defining "THEOCRACY"....and it is not POSSIBLE in a "REAL" democracy. The only existing THEOCRATIC government is IRAN and look at where they at in the global scheme of things....they are still living in the middle-ages....KUNG WALA LANG SILANG LANGIS.....TIRIK NA ANG MGA MATA NILA NUONG ARAW PA.....I know you are focusing on the values of "Godly People" ...pero ang magiging dating sa karamihan nuon ay...the candidate must declare a definitive belief on a supreme being(paano kung iba ang relihiyon/paniniwala or an atheist....di ba sila qualified to run)...baka magamit lang ho iyun na 'campaign slogan'
(3) Lastly.....di po ba duon sa unang posting ko binanggit ko na......("Bro. Mike....wala nang "PASSWORD" sa entablado ha?? Tulad nuong 1998 "TIYAK-IYUN"....tiyak yun na 'landscape' ...ang resulta.....i mean "landslide" (-CUAIO) Bro. Mike consults El Shaddai on presidential run... abs-cbnNEWS.com | 08/19/2009 8:14 PM).....
I know that you're just being "humorous" regarding a "secret deal" with ERAP!
GOD BLESS!
*ETO PO YUNG ISANG CUT-AND-PASTE KO... -By John M. Swomley, Professor Emeritus of Social Ethics - St. Paul School of Theology....... On the The Threat of Theocracy?
"The greatest danger to democracy in any nation is theocracy. It can occur in any society where a powerful religious organization or combination of organizations is the decisive voice in a political or judicial system"
good governance
a lot of people may find Bro Mike's comment like incorporating the laws of God in his governance. This may sound foolish to some but I thinks it is about time a man of God serve this great nation, to eradicate, take note, not alleviate poverty. .this is doable if corruption is relegated to the bins and every elected official SERVING, not Lording it over the people. .