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Philippines: Priest Governor for President in 2010 Elections

by francisrivera | March 22, 2009 at 10:47 pm

1417 views | 25 Recommendations | 7 comments

As early as now a lot of politicians are slowly coming out to tell their plans in running for the 2010 Presidential elections. One of those is former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, who will run in condition of the Opposition not going united under only one solid Presidential candidate.

Also eyeing the Presidential position are Vice President Noli de Castro and Senators such as Mar Roxas, Manny Villar & Richard Gordon.They are all in their own way masters of the political field with different attitudes and ways of leading this nation.

An unlikely candidate, in the form of Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio is now seriously being encouraged by ordinary people to go for the Presidential seat.

This early, pledges from overseas are coming in for Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio.

An elderly gentleman has expressed his intention to part with $100 from his budget for hypertension and diabetes medicine. A Filipino in New York is also putting in $100, and another is contributing $5.

A member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1983 has pledged an initial $100. A contract worker in Jordan is investing $1,000.

Pledges like these from ordinary Filipinos clamoring for good governance and willing to put their money where their mouth is are serving to encourage Panlilio to seriously consider seeking the presidency in 2010, with Isabela Governor Grace Padaca as his running mate.

"Among Ed" as know to his supporters is the Catholic Priest who won the 2007 elections for Governor in Pampanga winning over by only 1,147 votes.

He's most admired with his work as an honest Governor in Pampanga. One of his acts of goodness and willingness to serve was seen when he rode a public transport called the "jeepney" going to work when the Pampanga capitol came short on budget for his personal gas consumption.

“The more a priest goes up the political ladder, the more detrimental it could be to his priesthood,” said San Fernando Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, Panlilio’s immediate superior.

Aniceto told the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Sunday that he was worried that the priesthood could be used for political ends.

Panlilio, who is suspended from performing priestly duties, defeated two administration candidates in a close race for the governorship in Pampanga in 2007.

He vowed to rid the home province of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of corruption mainly from alleged kickbacks from quarrying and “jueteng,” an illegal numbers game.

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said Panlilio should leave the priesthood if he wanted to run for president.

Cruz reminded Panlilio that universal Church law forbade clerics from assuming public office.

“How, therefore, could a priest be a politician at the same time (when there are) no less than two separate, official and categorical Church prohibitions to be such?” Cruz said.

If he does go on and bid for the highest seat in the country. The Filipino people are in for a whole new ball game.

Panlilio spent 26 years in the priesthood. He decided to cease performing priestly duties in March 2007 to run against Lapid and Pineda.

Just a month after assuming office after the May 2007 elections, Panlilio was able to collect for Pampanga P29.4 million from quarry operations on volcanic ash from Mt. Pinatubo.

It took his predecessor one year to collect about the same amount.

He remains suspended from his obligations as a priest while he takes on the government seat of being the Governor of Pampanga.

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Paschen

at 04:35 on March 23rd, 2009

We had that in Haiti and it did not end to well.

francisrivera

at 04:59 on March 23rd, 2009

Thanks for the comment Paschen. He is seen by his followers and supporters as a hope to change the "trapo" (traditional politicians) system in the country. If he goes and really files candidacy it'd be quite interesting.

sara star

at 04:35 on March 23rd, 2009

Ex -riest, to be more accurate.

This is an interesting sound of events. How are the people receiving this? He certainly was able to come up with the money, is the quarry owned by him?

francisrivera

at 05:01 on March 23rd, 2009

Thanks for the comment Sara Star.

No, the quarry is a government way of earning income for the province. A lot of ordinary people are supporting him, the Vice Governor of Pampanga and some of the Mayors are not really in good relations with him though.

francisrivera

at 05:07 on March 23rd, 2009

In the case of his being "suspended":

He is not really considered ex-priest yet. Not until he gives up his dispensation from all his clerical obligations definitively and permanently.

He said Panlilio was merely “suspended” as a priest, which means that he may not exercise his priestly ministries in the meantime.

“The problem with suspension is it just removed all the rights, but his obligations (as a priest) remain, until he goes back and when the archbishop receives him back,” Cruz said.

Dominador Danan (not verified)

at 16:57 on March 23rd, 2009

People are sick and tired with "trapos". This could be the beginning of new Philippines, Ed Panlilio can count on me and my family not only our votes but we will campaign for him. MR. PANLILIO there is no TURNING BACK, heed to the clamor of the people.