Pampanga governor wants Palace to explain 'cash gift'

Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio on Monday said he is writing Malacañang to inquire about the P500,000 cash gift he received after attending a meeting of governors in the Palace last week. In a press conference, Panlilio said he has prepared a letter to Malacañang inquiring on the source and purpose of the cash gift so that the provincial government could issue an official receipt for the donation. If it is confirmed that the money was given to him for reasons aside from the implementation of community projects in Pampanga, Panlilio said he will return the cash gift to Malacañang. During the press conference, Panlilio showed the money which was given last Thursday to his chief of staff Archie Reyes inside a brown paper gift bag. "I prepared a letter that will be sent to Malacañang. Today I will send a communication to Malacañang acknowledging receipt of the P500,000 and will request from their end the name of the agency which we will reflect in the official receipt... I believe I will have to clarify first, formally in writing, where the money is supposed to be used," Panlilio said. “It’s better that I spoke of this thing as it happened than be bothered by my conscience," Panlilio added, even as he noted that he did not see the other governors take similar cash gifts. Panlilio also disclosed that it was Bulacan Governor Jonjon Mendoza who handed the cash gift to Panlilio’s chief of staff, who quoted Mendoza as saying that the cash gift came from Malacañang and was intended for the implementation of community projects. "As we were walking towards the gate, Gov. Jonjon (Mendoza) handed to my chief of staff a paper bag... After we entered our vehicle, my chief of staff opened the bag and was surprised to find the money inside it," Panlilio said. Earlier, Panlilio admitted receiving the money after attending a meeting of governors in Malacañang last week. He said a Palace aide dressed in Barong Tagalog handed him the brown bag containing the money. The priest-turned governor said he arrived late at the meeting and some of the governors approached him and told him Malacañang was giving out money. However, members of the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) on Sunday denied they received money when they went to Malacañang for a meeting last week, radio station DZBB reported. In a text message sent to dzBB, Misamis Occidental Governor and LPP president Leo Ocampo said they were not aware of the money given to Panlilio. He said the governors, together with the Union of Local Authorities, were not expecting any money from Malacañang in exchange for their support for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Panlilio said the special attention and projects given to the provinces by Mrs Arroyo were enough for them to be thankful. Among the projects were the creation of super regions, inclusion of the local government units in the panel for China projects, the P5 billion and P2 billion allotment for Kilos-Asenso and Kalayaan Fund, respectively, in the 2008 national budget. Malacañang on Sunday said the P500,000 “gift" Panlilio received from a Palace staff was no payoff. “There is nothing wrong with receiving a donation, provided it is put to good use," Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye told Malacañang reporters. Bunye also dismissed allegations that the Palace bribed congressmen and other government officials amid the impeachment threats against President Arroyo. He said giving a cash gift to Panlilio was a “non-issue," because even the late Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin saw nothing wrong in accepting donations. In the press conference, Panlilio also said that during last week's meeting, governors had agreed among themselves to stay neutral on the impeachment complaint against President Arroyo, adding he was surprised over the group's statement which later came out opposing the impeachment complaint. "I was surprised to see in the papers that the league of governors (called for a stop) of the impeachment trial. But let me tell you, that meeting we decided, the governors decided not to block the passage of the impeachment bill but we will take a neutral course, to let the law take its course," Panlilio said. - GMANews.TV