More than 300 voters, all members of the religious sect Body of Christ in the remote village of Hamburger Hills, Barangay Gata, San Agustin, Surigao del Sur, have not submitted themselves to biometric registration with the Commission on Elections because their religious belief does not allow them to have their picture taken with their iris in direct contact with the camera.
Comelec’s provincial supervisor, lawyer Ernie Palanan, and San Agustin municipal election officer Evelyn Bato said the sect members, including their leader Nilo Rolloque, refused computer-generated procedures on their iris would mark it with “666.”
According to the Book of Revelations “666” is the number, or name of the wild beast with seven heads and ten horns that comes out of the sea. This beast is a symbol of the worldwide political system, which rules over “every tribe and people and tongue and nation.”
“They fear that if they are marked ‘666,’ this will be the mark of the beast which they also believe is the anti-Christ,” the Comelec officials claimed.
Former San Agustin, Surigao del Sur mayor and now Vice Governor Manuel Alameda said he encountered the same problem with the sect members who also refused to undergo DOH immunization, Phil Health membership, driver’s license and other government and private accreditations that required their photo IDs.
Alameda claimed he had been explaining to the people the importance of government documents, but to no avail.
“They insist on their faith. Body of Christ members and followers are hardworking, industrious and low profile. They are also religious and law abiding,” he added.
Alameda said the group had developed some sort of a community in the village. Most of the lands they till already belong to them.
“They arrived in Hamburger Hills sometime in 1988. According to their leader Nilo Rolloque and their other pastors, the area was God’s chosen area for them in time of Jesus Christ’s second coming. They believe they will be safe there,” Alameda added.
He said he would return to Hamburger Hills soon with the Comelec officials to talk to the sect members there.
Hamburger Hills is about 50 kilometers away from Tandag City, Surigao del Sur’s provincial capital.
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