Pampanga's Panlilio wants to go back to 'first love'

He even thought of running for the presidency. But Ed Panlilio, the country’s second priest elected to public office, has changed his mind. The Pampanga governor is now thinking of going back to his first love: the priesthood. “Preference ko pa rin yung pagbalik sa pagkapari.…Even when I started in politics in 2007, pagkapanalo ko pa lang, sinabi ko na ang preference ko ay bumalik sa pagkapari," Panlilio told reporters on Thursday after he and 34 others took oath as members of the Liberal Party (LP) at an event in Cubao, Quezon City. (I prefer returning to the priesthood. Even when I started in politics in 2007, after I won, I said my preference was to go back to priesthood.) Last July, Panlilio, expressed his intention to run for the highest post of the land. But in September, the governor-priest decided to back out of the race and throw support behind LP standard-bearer, Sen. Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino III. That’s also what the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines wants him to do, according to the 55-year-old Panlilio. “Hindi naman ako pulitiko. I just came in when I was needed. If I’m no longer needed, meaning to say, if there is another guy or person who could continue the advocacy, I will step aside," said the maverick priest. Palace cash in paper bags Riding a wave of public disgust, Panlilio ran for Pampanga governor in the 2007 elections. He faced Lubao mayor Lilia Pineda, a town mate and close friend of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the incumbent Mark Lapid, son of action star-turned-senator Lito Lapid. Panlilio beat Pineda by 1,407 votes, a margin repeatedly challenged by his political opponents until the election case was elevated to the Supreme Court. The high tribunal recently decided to resume the hearing of the petition questioning Panlilio’s victory. Only a few months into office, Panlilio claimed that in an October 2007 meeting with Mrs Arroyo, local government officials had received bags of cash. He claimed that he was among those who received brown paper bags containing P500,000 from a Palace staffer. He turned over the cash to the provincial treasurer. On June 23, 2008, Panlilio slapped Lubao businessman Rodolfo “Bong" Pineda with a plunder case before the Ombudsman. Panlilio alleged that Lilia’s husband was involved in jueteng operations and payoffs in Pampanga. Panlilio who served the clergy for 26 years, was suspended from his priestly duties in 2007 after he filed candidacy for the gubernatorial post. Working for LP Asked who would be his successor, Panlillio said his group had been discussing about it and they would announce their choice in due time. For now, Panlilio wants to help organize the LP chapter in his province. Pampanga is a bailiwick of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who is now frequenting the province and is said to be keen on running as Pampanga congresswoman in next year’s polls. But Panlilio is confident that the LP can field candidates who can defeat administration bets in Pampanga. “Sa pagtingin ko ang LP lang ang siyang pwedeng mag-organisa, mag-consolidate at magpatatag sa mga alternative candidates na nagpapahayag at nagpapakita ng good governance at leadership at naghihikayat ng responsible citizenship na pantapat sa ruling party. (I think it’s only the LP that has the capability to organize, consolidate, and strengthen alternative candidates who have the leadership to call for responsible citizenship and challenge the ruling party.) Shifting to LP Other politicians who took their oath as LP members on Thursday are former Senator Jose “Joey" Lina, who will run for governor of Laguna; Gingoog, Misamis Oriental Mayor Ruthie Guingona; Pasay City Vice Mayor Antonio Calixto; and former Laguna Vice Governor Edwin Olivares. Lina, Jr. was senator from 1987 to 1992, and governor of Laguna from 1992 to 2001. Guingona, on the other hand, is the wife of former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, who has led the opposition that called for the ouster of President Arroyo after the “Hello,Garci" incident that exposed widespread cheating in the 2004 presidential elections. Calixto is a new Lakas-Kampi member, having been sworn in only last February, while Olivares ran for the gubernatorial post of Laguna during the 2007 elections under the banner of the United Opposition. Last week, Pangasinan Rep. Victor Agbayani, North Cotabato Rep. Bernardo Piñol, Jr., Alaminos Mayor Hernani Braganza of Pangasinan, and 125 other local officials from different parts of the country took their oaths as new LP members. Agbayani, Piñol, and Braganza were formerly affiliated with the administration Lakas-CMD party. Cavite Gov. Erineo "Ayong" Maliksi and other Cavite local officials shifted their allegiance to LP - an exodus that boosted ground support for the party as Cavite has the largest voting population in the country. Aside from Malicsi’s support, the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), a regional political party based in Cebu City, has also thrown in its support behind the tandem of Aquino and vice presidential running-mate, Sen. Manuel “Mar" Roxas. Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, former Cebu Gov. Emilio Osmeña, and former Senators John Henry Osmeña and Serge Osmeña have also united to back Aquino and Roxas. Popular television host and actor Cesar Montano, who was nominated as Philippine Ambassador to the UNESCO by President Arroyo, has also left the administration and joined the LP. He has been designated as LP provincial chairman and will be pitted against incumbent Gov. Erico Aumentado in the gubernatorial race in Bohol. Also expected to join the LP next week is former Optical Media Board chairman Edu Manzano. - GMANews.TV