Potential 2016 bets hit for 'opportunism' in INC crisis

MANILA, Philippines — A party-list group criticized on Monday politicians for using the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) crisis to bolster their chances in the upcoming elections.

"They have all rode on the issue without making any effort to redress the grievances of the warring factions within the INC," Sanlakas said in a statement.

"Worse, the politicians took the opportunity to throw a punch or two at political rivals for positions they took despite the fact that the justice department already had full jurisdiction," the group added.

The INC, while a religious organization, has been wooed by political aspirants in the past elections as its members are known to vote as a bloc.

Sanlakas said "all political camps" including Malacañang are guilty of throwing around "charges and counter-charges of opportunism and rabble-rousing."

"Possible electoral rivals went tit-for-tat for the bungled handling of the Justice Secretary Leila De Lima of the illegal detention charges against the Sanggunian," Sanlakas said.

The group was referring to the illegal detention case filed by an expelled INC minister before the Department of Justice against members of the governing church council.

The statement also came with a warning to the public that public relations and political operators "have been working overtime these past five days molding public opinion in order to prop up their candidates."

"They, too, are just as opportunistic as their candidates," it said.