A man standing for election to a village council in the southern Philippines has been criticized by a church leader for using the nickname “Jesus Christ” on his certificate of candidacy.
The Commission on Elections upheld the use of the name by 40- year-old Charlie Bucao Talledo.
But Father Bobby Puracan, chancellor of Surigao Diocese in Mindanao, cautioned against using the name for political purposes.
“The term ‘Christ’ is a title that means ‘Messiah’ or ‘the anointed one’ from the Greek ‘Christos’,” he said. “He is the central figure of Christianity, so we must be careful in using it.”
Father Puracan said he knows Talledo, who always attracts the attention of people every time he attends Mass.
“During the singing of the Lord’s Prayer, he would go to the middle of the church and raise his arms, getting unnecessary attention,” said the priest. There were also incidents when Talledo walked around the city dressed like Jesus while carrying a crucifix attached to a baton.
