MANILA - The Archbishop of Caceres in Naga Rev. Rolando Octavus Tria Tirona called on parishioners to give their vote to someone whose truthfulness can be relied on.

"Ang daming taong hindi tapat sa kasaysayan, binabaligtad. Di bale kung babaligtarin lang, kundi binabago pa, gusto kalimutan natin ang kasaysayan. Yung mga ganyang uri ng tao, makasisiguro kayo, hindi yan naaayon sa kalooban ng Dios," Tirona said on Tuesday.

(There are many who are not honest about history, they seek to change it, or seek for others to forget parts of it. What they are doing is not God's will.)

Tirona delivered mass as part of Vice President Leni Robredo's presidential campaign launch in Camarines Sur.

"Gusto ng Dios ang namumuno tapat sa kanya, tapat sa tao, tapat sa kasaysayan (God would want that the person who leads the country is honest to the people, and honest about history)," Tirona continued.

The Marcoses have previously been accused of historical revisionism, portraying the late dictator's time in power as a time where the country was "brought into the modern world", and was brought "a sense of nationhood."

• READ: Survivors and victims of Martial Law accuse Marcoses of historical revisionism

Tirona reminded parishioners to be thankful to have the chance and the power to choose which public officials will serve the country.

"Mapalad ang Pilipinas dahil meron tayong panahon para gampanan ang ating tungkulin na pumili ng mamumuno at magiging katulong natin para sa ating sambayanan. Maraming bansa na walang ganitong demokrasiya," Tirona said.

(We are lucky to be able to make the decision who leads our country. Many countries do not have the democracy we enjoy.)

This God-given right and freedom to choose should not be taken for granted and taken advantage of, Tirona emphasized.

"Hindi tayo puppets ng Dios. God so respects our freedom, our liberty, our conscience... di tulad ng ibang relihyon na kino-compel ang kanilang mga tagasunod. Tayo hindi, bawal sa atin yan, the church so respects our conscience, God so respects our free will," Tirona declared.

(We are not God's puppets. God respects our freedom, liberty, and conscience. Unlike other religions who dictate to their members who they should vote for. That is against our teachings, because God respects our free will.)

Tirona may have been pertaining to religious group Iglesia Ni Cristo, known to engage in bloc voting where the group's endorsed political candidates will be voted by its members.

• LOOK BACK: BLOC VOTE: Presidents backed by Iglesia Ni Cristo

Tirona cautioned against a repeat of the time when Filipinos lost the freedom to choose who to elect as leaders.

"Huwag sanang mangyari yung panahon tulad ng nangyari noon na halos nawala ang ating kakayanan na pumili (Let us not repeat what happened in the past where we lost our freedom to choose)."

The Archbishop also pointed out that a person's political stand should remain consistent with their faith.

"Ang pagkilos pulitikal mo dapat naaayon sa ikabubuting tao. Political action should always be for the welfare and for the common good. Kung hindi para sa kabutihan ng pangkalahatan, labag yan sa pananampalataya. Walang banggaan ang pananampalataya at pulitikal na aksyon, dapat yan magkasama. Faith influences our political action," Tirona said.

(Your political action should be for the welfare of others. If it is not for the common good, it is against faith. Faith and political action should not clash, instead the former influences the latter.)

The mass was said in front of parishioners just as the grand rally for Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Kiko Pangilinan, along with their senatorial slate, began at Plaza Quezon in Naga City, Camarines Sur.