Kapuso star Jon Lucas took to Facebook on Sunday, May 5, to clarify that he is not endorsing any political candidate, following a now-deleted post from the social media team of senatorial hopeful Benhur Abalos that featured his image and a statement taken from an old interview.
“Hello guys! Itong statement ko po ay interview ko with Tim Yap nung birthday ni Sec. Benhur Abalos. Hindi ko po ito sinabi gayong campaign period,” Lucas wrote. “Gusto ko lang po i-clear na 100% hindi po ako nag-eendorse ng kahit sino pong kandidato.”
Jon explained that while he participated in an interview during a social event, his comments were never intended as political endorsements. He expressed concern that the use of his statement and photo alongside phrases like “Solid sa Senado” and “Balota” gave the false impression that he was campaigning for Abalos.
The actor’s management, Aguila Entertainment, also called out the team behind Abalos’ social media for using Jon’s image without consent. The said post, uploaded on April 24, remained online until it was only taken down after Jon and his team raised the issue.
To add context, Jon is a member of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), a religious group known for its bloc voting practice, and whose members are not permitted to make personal political endorsements publicly.
Following the removal of the post, Jon posted a follow-up message with a screenshot of his previous promise: “Hey guys! Gaya ng sinabi ko po ‘once taken down, I’ll delete my post.’ Sorry po sa mga naabala. Salamat sa mga nakaunawa. ❤️”
As of writing, there has been no public apology issued by Abalos’ camp regarding the matter.
