SPECIAL REPORT:

Manalos INC, Institutionalizing undue influence for 101 years

(Part I)




Introduction

Any act of persuasion that overcomes the free will and judgment of another, including exhortation,
importunacy, insinuation, flattery, trickery and deception may practically amount to undue
influence. It is closely related to influence peddling which is an improper practice of using one's
influence in government or connections with persons in authority to obtain favors or preferential
treatment for another in exchange for money or favors.

In the Philippines, Manalos Iglesia Ni Cristo or INC is the number one peddler of undue influence
in government it being expert in using techniques mentioned above in exchange for political and
economic favors. Incidentally, such practice bears the stench of corruption that is now threatening
to suffocate the countys democratic processes.

In brief: INCs foundation date and initial developmental stage

It was in 1913 when the INCs Last Messenger in the Last Days? in the person of Felix Ysagun
Manalo (a religious butterfly who until his death was unable to arrive at the truth) began
preaching the INC doctrine denying the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Members of the first
batch of his converts were baptized at the Pasig River in late 1913 (Reference: INC official
magazine Pasugo, July 27, 1989 page 109 and Pasugo, May 1996 page 10).

However, this initial evangelical effort of the Last Messenger was rendered totally inutile when
that particular period of Manalos propagation was ignored altogether and not recognized now as
part of the developmental period of INC. Otherwise, the INC should have reckoned 1913 as its
beginning and could have celebrated Centennial anniversary last year 2013 instead of this year
2014. Be that as it may, it cant be denied that the Last Messenger of INC, slowly but surely was
able to gain adherents especially during post WWII period due primarily to factors enumerated
below:

1. Many members of the predominant Catholic Church were dissatisfied with the glaring wrong and
unbiblical practices of their Church, rendering them as easy prey for deception and eventual
recruitment.

2. The fostering of extreme fraternal solidarity within the INC organization so that others could be
lured to join (just like in fraternities) by the promise of strong kinship and political connections.
Hence, the implied sense of security and protection, for some people, had been the primary
motivation and consideration.

3. The sponsoring of various radio/TV programs that promote guided political views and
awareness. The purpose was to motivate audience to be nationalistic (albeit misguided) so that INC
could appeal to that sense of nationalism and be identified with the masses. Likewise, the INC, if it
would serve their interest, used to ride on peoples valid political grievances to the extent of
demonstrating its crowd drawing capacity during politically sponsored mass mobilization. More
often, mass mobilization was being done insidiously under the guise of evangelical mission with
same ulterior motive of gaining political and economic leverage from intended political target
personalities. It must be noted that INC had since been operating by the political principle: There
is no such thing as permanent enemy, only permanent interest. In other words, an INC enemy
today could become an INC friend tomorrow for obvious self serving reason. Such had been the
character of INC being a political church. It is a political butterfly whose founder was a religious
butterfly. It made sense for people with extreme sagacity for opportunism.

4. INC had adopted the BIG LIE propaganda line of Adolf Hitlers Master Propagandist Joseph
Goebbels who said: If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come
to believe it. BIG LIE which simply meant RECYCLED GOSSIP had since been used by INC, not
only in its passionate desire to demonize its detractors. BIG LIE had since been used also in its
advertising and propagation of INCs exaggerated membership estimates. The purpose of which is
to create artificial bandwagon effect and exude added aura of strength. Such kind of strategy could
most likely be the reason why an intellectual person, a Hitler avid admirer to date had joined the
INC. Read: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/14/world/asia/14iht-lawyer14.html?_r=1

If you cannot lick them, join them

It came to pass that the INC (even without its Last Messenger who died on April 12, 1963) was at
least able to lure some more adherents to its fold under Erao Manalo, the son who succeeded his
father who was the Last Messenger. The successor continued with the BIG LIE and did even up the
ante even more: INC, with its 6 to 8 Million members and 3 to 4 Million voters could deliver the
winning votes to national candidates during election. In 1992 Presidential election, INC endorsed
the candidacy of Danding Cojuanco one (1) month prior to date of election. But despite that much
ballyhooed INC bloc voting, the INC anointed candidate miserably lost, landing third among five
candidates. More about this on this link: http://esoriano.wordpress.com/2010/07/28/the-knowledge-
of-counting-is-wisdom/

With such humiliating debacle, the INC realized the futility of endorsing candidates a month or
weeks prior to the date of election. Their actual membership count which was just a fraction of the
bloated figure fed to media could not really ensure election victory. Hence, to preclude future
embarrassment as consequence of its solid bloc voting circus, the INC from then on had to shift into
endorsing candidates a few days before election.

The idea was to rely first on the election survey results conducted by perceived credible survey
firms. Candidates who were leading (based on latest surveys) and who had sought the INC support
were finally being endorsed 2 or 3 days prior to day of election. Final endorsement of course was
being made after surreptitious forging of special package of political deal with the chosen sure
winner candidates. Upon assumption to office of anointed candidates, it would be time for political
payback in favor of INC and this fraternal church would enjoy every minute of it. Indeed, the INC
had not been wanting when it comes to innovations on trickery and deception to satisfy its selfish
ends.
Why do we allow this?

In a very scathing article against Manalos INC written by Conrado de Quiros, a renowned
columnist of The Philippine Daily inquirer, he said and I partly quote:

Why do we allow the INC to begin with to interfere in elections? We know that INC members
vote as a bloc for the candidates of their leaders choosing. We know this because that church
doesnt bother to hide it; it parades it as one of the reasons for joining it or currying its favor. At
least the Catholic Church believes in giving to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to Gods the
things that are Gods. This one believes in socking it to Caesar, or sucking up to Caesar, in Gods
name. This is out-and-out flouting of the separation of Church and State, a thing expressly
forbidden in a democracy. And yet we see no law stopping it, and yet we see only politicians
seeking to profit from it.

Just as well, why do we allow a church to act according to the motto, We dont care if hes an SOB
so long as hes our SOB? At least we howled in pain when the Catholic Church acted that way. At
least we roared in anger when the bishops started saying things like, Everybody cheats, anyway,
and Lets move on. Why the silence on this one? Because theyre smaller? Because they do
things more quietly, preferring the backdoor to the front one? Well, they may be smaller or quieter,
but actions speak louder than words."...
Read more: http://opinion.inquirer.net/29267/why-do-we-allow-this...

The answer to his question is simple: Because what we have in the country is a corrupt system of
patronage politics as consequence of INCs undue influence in government TO BE
CONTINUED.