El Shaddai leader mulls presidency - Souless Conman

by Babel-Fish | August 19, 2009 at 08:02 pm

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MANILA -- With only nine months before the 2010 elections, El Shaddai leader Mariano “Bro. Mike” Velarde said Wednesday that he is thinking of running for the presidential race next year.

The El Shaddai leader admitted he is consulting his members on whether or not to join politics in 2010, adding that the decision does not only depend on him.

This guy really amuses me he once was bankrupt and formed a new cult religion on the foundation of the Catholic Faith.

There is a saying in the Philippines amongst the rich especial the Chinese Filipino's "If you wish to make loads of money start a religion". Mike Velarde and others had took this advice and the Philippines has seen many religious business related concerns.

Born in Caramoran, Catanduanes, he attended University of the East, Manila where he received a degree in geodetic engineering. With a company bonus, he started buying land and developing residential subdivisions south of the city. He did well until 1983, when political turmoil sent the Philippine economy into a tailspin and went bankrupt. By 1986 his debts, which he had used to finance land purchases, had grown to $8 million. After a recovery from a heart ailment in 1978, he started a weekly Bible-quoting radio show on DWXI, a station he acquired in 1982 as part of a real estate deal. He then held monthly prayer rallies outside the vicinity of the radio station. Since then, his church has grown rapidly.[2]

Velarde's son Rene Velarde representing the Buhay party, is the richest party-list congressman with a net worth of P30.9 million.[3]

[edit] Personal life

He is married to Avelina "Belen" del Monte[4] with four children.[citation needed] Franklin, Rene, Sherry and Michael

[edit] Theology

Velarde maintains his Roman Catholic faith under the wing of the Philippine Catholic Church. His movement draws from Philippine folk Christianity and uses the original catholic bible without whatsoever editing or diminishing of God's words. He encourages the ritual use of a wide range of objects, from bankbooks and visa applications to eggs, umbrellas, and even specially blessed handkerchiefs, as he believed in the power of faith. El Shaddai's followers ascribe supernatural healing powers to eggs or bottles of water brought to rallies, or to handkerchiefs printed with prayers.

[edit] Business Interest

Velarde is the owner and chairman of Amvel Land Development Corporation, a real estate company which received the single biggest housing loan from the government in 2004 for the construction of Amvel Mansions, a 3,000-unit residential project at the Amvel Business Park in Parañaque. Claims that the loan was political payback for supporting President Arroyo's administration in the 2004 elections were denied by the government.[5]

It's very sad that many filipino's are so gulible in believing that such cult indoctrination can be any better than their original faith of Catholicism and they fall foul of Religious Businessmen like Mike Velarde to help him feather his nest.

Now he wants to become the president of the Philippines, this factor could be a very bad thing if he is successful and will not be a solution to Filipino's problems. This man is a trickster and a con man and he wants power, money and to be a dictator. He is not a good Christian as with those others that have set up similar cults here its shameful and I hate to see these greedy soulless creatures make fools of those in poverty in the Philippines.