Reuters
Priests against Marcos turn pink in Filipino elections
When Father Nap Balthazar, a Filipino Catholic priest, raised his hand to congratulate those attending the Mass, his white sleeves slid back and inscribed the words “Let me renilead.” A pink bracelet has appeared. Balthazar, 47, belongs to a group of like-minded priests in Asia’s largest Catholic state, abandoning his neutrality against the presidential election of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of the late dictator and of the same name. We openly support our closest rival, Leni Robredo. The team color is pink. The presidential election is scheduled for May 9, and according to the latest opinion survey, Marcos, also known as “Bombon,” is the daughter of incumbent President Rodrigo Duterte, leading the closest rival Robred by double digits. One Sarah Duterte Carpio continued to be the leading candidate for the Vice President.