LP, allies hit Arroyo gov’t for ‘vendetta politics’ vs 3 governors

The Liberal Party (LP) and Kaya Natin movement slammed the Arroyo administration on Monday for what they called its “vendetta politics" against at least three governors, whose victories in the 2007 local elections are now being subjected to recounting just because “they are LP members." This after they received reports that the Commission on Election’s (Comelec) second division will rule against Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca and Pampanga Gov. Ed Panililio on the recount cases filed against them by their political rivals in the 2007 polls. “(This is) part of the grand plot by the present administration to oust duly elected officials particularly those who belonged to the Liberal Party," said LP senatorial candidate and Bukidnon (2nd dist.) Rep. Teofisto Guingona III as he read the stand of Kaya Natin. “This is vendetta politics in ensuring that those who are able to do stand up against the administration would be punished," said another LP senatorial bet and Bukidnon politician, Nereus "Neric" Acosta. Panlilio, a Roman Catholic priest who ran and won in the 2007 elections as Pampanga governor, is contesting a recall petition filed with the Comelec by former provincial board member Lilia Pineda, the wife of businessman Rodolfo “Bong" Pineda, a well-known financier and staunch ally of President Arroyo. Pineda, who lost to Panlilio by a margin of 1,147 votes, accused the winning politician-priest of cheating and initiated recount proceedings against him with the Comelec. The decision will be promulgated on December 16, said Commissioner Nicodermo Ferrer, head of Comelec’s second division. In the case of Isabela province, Gov. Padaca is contesting a recall petition filed with the Comelec by former governor Bejamin Dy of the powerful Dy political clan. Citing unidentified sources, Padaca said the poll body’s second division will release its decision on Tuesday, December 8, in favor of Dy. In a related case, the same Comelec division ruled against Bulacan Gov. Joselito Mendoza on an electoral protest filed against him by former Bulacan governor Roberto Pagdanganan. The decision was released after Mendoza’s Partido del Pilar coalesced with the LP for the 2010 polls. "What do we have in common? We are LP members," said Panlilio. Recount cases against the three governors, however, had been filed even before they joined LP, whose presidential and vice president bets, Senators Benigno Aquino and Manuel Roxas II, have been leading the surveys. But Guingona said Pacada and Panlilio did not have the money and machinery to rig the election results. “We strongly belie the allegations of election fraud and cheating as absolutely false and baseless," said Guingona, even as he called on the Comelec to “maintain its independence." Commissioner Ferrer, for his part, advised the two governors to wait for the poll body’s decision before making any judgment. “Wag nilang siraan kami (They shouldn’t unjustly accuse us). Why don’t we just wait for the resolution, (maybe they’ll even) be taken by surpsise," said Ferrer in a phone interview with GMANews.TV. Ferrer added that the Comelec has been “very transparent" in conducting the recount cases. It has even invited the media and an independent poll watcher to witness the recounting, he said. – JV/GMANews.TV