When Philippine Catholic priest Father Nap Baltazar raised his hands to bless the people attending mass, the sleeves on his white vestment slid back to reveal a pink bracelet inscribed with the words "Let Leni Lead."
Baltazar, 47, belongs to a group of like-minded priests in Asia's biggest Catholic nation who have abandoned their neutrality to oppose the presidential bid of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the late dictator's son and namesake, and openly endorse his closest rival, Leni Robredo, whose team color is pink.
The presidential election is set for May 9, and recent opinion polls show Marcos, also known as "Bongbong," holds a double-digit lead over closest rival Robredo, while his running mate, Sara Duterte-Carpio — daughter of incumbent President Rodrigo Duterte — remained the top choice for the vice presidency.