Showing posts with label Among Ed. Show all posts

Para kay Gov. Ed Panlilio

3:04 AM

Para kay Among Ed Panlilio...

Ang sumusunod ay ang nakasulat na pahayag/paliwanag ni Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio hinggil sa kanyang pasyang tumakbo bilang presidente sa 2010 at ang paghingi nito ng dispensation o pahintulot mula sa Santo Papa na umalis sa pagkapari. Matatagpuan ang kopya nito online sa website ng Kaya Natin!

Minarapat kong i-repost ang pahayag na ito, kalakip ang aking sariling komentaryo para kay Gov. Ed, upang makatulong sa ating mga mambabasa na magbuo ng kanilang sariling pagtingin hinggil sa isyung ito.

Sa tingin ko, ang nakasulat na pahayag na ito ay may layuning ilinaw/ itama ang ilang mga naunang pahayag ni Gov. Ed sa media na nagresulta sa mga headlines tulad ng, “God is calling me to run for President”, “God wants me to run in 2010”, and “Priest chooses politics over God”, bagay na lumikha ng pagbaha ng matindi at negatibong mga reaksyon ng ating mga kababayan. Sana ay hindi mamasamain ng Kaya Natin! at ni Gov. Panlilio ang libreng publicity na ito.

“Panlilio for President?” http://kayanatin.com/blogs/among-ed-for-president/

Noong Martes, inilahad ko po sa isang press conference ang aking hangarin na magpa-file ako ng candidacy para sa pagka-presidente ng ating bansa bago o kaya sa mismong araw ng Nobyembre 30. Mayroon pong natuwa at mayroon namang nagalit.

[Gov Ed, paano naman po matutuwa ang mga nagalit sa inyong deklarasyon eh idinawit ninyo pa ang Panginoon sa inyong political plans nang gamitin ninyo Siyang Top Endorser. Bukod sa nagalit ang mga Obispo ng Pampanga dahil sa hindi kayo tumupad sa usapan ninyo noong pinagbigyan nila kayo noong 2007 sa inyong pangako na tatlong taon lang kayong magpu-pulitiko, aba eh na-question pa tuloy ang katinuan ninyo.]

Gusto ko pong ipaabot sa inyo ang pagpasok ko sa pulitika at pagtakbo sa pagka-presidente ay hindi nagsimula sa akin. Wala naman kasi akong political agenda.

[Ano po ang sinasabi ninyong wala kayong political agenda? Hindi po ba ang deklarasyon ng inyong pagtakbo ay isang political endeavor? O non-political na po ba ang pagtakbo sa eleksyon ngayon? Eh ano po ang agenda ninyo, kung ganon? Moral? Spiritual? Parang palabo ng palabo.]

Pinasukan ko ito sapagkat ako ay tumugon sa pangangailangan at sa kahilingan ng mga tao.

[Kung totoo man po na hindi nanggaling sa inyo, kayo pa rin naman po ang magdedesisyon kung kayo ay tatakbo o hindi, aalis sa pagkapari o hindi. Sana ay tigilan na natin ang pag-finger point sa kung sino-sino na nagtutulak sa inyo upang tumakbo: una si God, ngayon mga karaniwang naman. Sana, kahit ngayon lang, ay mapanindigan ninyo kung ano talaga ang sa ganang inyo. Hindi po ba para po kayong nag-aaplay sa isang mabigat na trabaho na ang itinuturo ninyong nagtutulak sa inyong mag-aplay ay nanay o tatay, o ate, kuya o kapitbahay ninyo. Pero kayo, hindi nyo naman talaga gusto. Pwede ba ‘yon? At paano kung kayo’y matalo, at tiyak naman iyon, sino ang sisisihin ninyo? Si God? Ang mga nagpatakbo sa inyo? Aba, Harvey Keh at Patrick Pantaleon, maghanda na kayo at baka maririnig ninyo rin sa bandang huli na “Hindi ko naman sinabing suportahan ninyo ako,”, o kaya, “Pinagsisisihan ko na isinama ko pa kayo sa aking team.” Anong klaseng presidente naman ang aasahan namin sa kagaya ninyo kapag ganyan kayo? ]

Noong walang mapiling disenteng alternatibong kandidato sa pagka-gobernador sa Pampanga noong 2007, ako ay nagpasyang kumandidato pagkatapos kong magnilay. Ganito rin ang nangyari sa pagkakataon ngayon. May mga grupo at sektor na wala raw mapiling presidential candidate noong ako ay nilapitan

[Gov. Ed, nakakataba nga naman ng puso ang mapili kayo ng ilang mga grupo at sektor na ito na walang mapiling kandidato kundi kayo, ano? Pero teka, gaano po ba kayo kakilala ng mga ito? Ito po ba iyong mga tao na kagaya ko ay hangang-hanga at naluha sa tuwa sa naging tagumpay ng ating Krusada sa Pampanga noong 2007? Alam na po ba nila ang mapait na katotohanan na iilan na lang po sa mga kasamahan natin sa Krusada ang nagtitiwala pa sa inyo? Alam din po ba nila kung bakit ganoon ang nangyari, o your convenient version of truth lang ang nakakarating sa kanila, tulad halimbawa ng “Malakas ang mga kalaban ko, pinagtutulung-tulungan nila ako. Nagamit at nagpagamit ang mga dating supporters at confidence team ko para siraan ako. Ang totoo, I am doing a very good job as a Governor!”?

Gob, sa pagkakakilala ninyo sa iyong sarili, sa inyong mga nagawa, at sa kabila ng nakakalungkot na nangyari sa Krusada at sa Pampanga, hindi po ba nagtataka o nahihiya, kahit kaunti, kung bakit kayo ang napili nila?]

Pagkatapos ko ring magnilay ako ay nagpasyang kumandidato. Kahit pa naman noong nakaraang taon, malimit akong tinatanong kung ako ay hahabol bilang presidente?

Tatlong palatandaan ang aking tinakda:

una, walang ibang nakikitang karapat-dapat na kandidato

[Nakapagtataka pero sige na nga, check, sabi ng ilang sektor at grupo, ika n’yo];

pangalawa, suporta ng mga tao

[“clamor” at hindi lang simpleng suporta Gov. Ed ang sabi nyo. Nasaan itong “clamor” na ito?]

at pangatlo, kung pagkatapos kong magnilay at nagpasyang tatakbo, kapayapaan ang nadama ko. Ngayon pong nakikita kong nandito na ang mga palatandaang ito, ako ay nagpasya nang tumakbo.

[Simple lang pala ang hinahanap ni Gov Ed na palatandaan para makaramdam ng kapayapaan sa kanyang puso. Aba eh, kahit ilang pirasong tao lang ang magsabi na susuportahan nila ang kanyang kandidatura ay solved na siya, at kahit pa nga higit na napakarami ang galit at hindi sumasang-ayon ay wala siyang pakialam. Ayos yan, Among Ed!]

Sa gitna ng mga nag hihirap at nagugutom na maraming Pilipino, sa paglala ng katiwalian sa pamahalaan at sa paglaganap ng kawalang pag-asa, ito ang panahon na kailangan tayo ng ating Inang Bayan.

[Totoo, ito ang panahon para kumilos ang taumbayan upang magkaroon ng tiyak at makabuluhang pagbabago sa ating bansa, maitaas ang antas ng kabuhayan ng mga mahihirap, at buhayin at palaganapin ang pag-asa para sa pagbabagong ito. Pero Gov. Ed, pwede ninyo bang sabihin sa amin: gaano karami po ba ang nabawas sa mga nagugutom sa Pampanga? Mataas po ba ang moral at pag-asa ng mga Kapampangan sa ilalim ng inyong pamumuno? Hindi po ba kabaligtaran ang nangyari sa Pampanga sa inyong inaakalang kayang gawin para sa buong Pilipinas?]

Bilang Pilipino na may malasakit, dapat tayong nakahandang ialay sa bayan ang pinakamainam sa ating sarili. Kung itong pag-aalay ay nangangahulugan na kailangan nating isakripisyo ang ano mang bagay o lahat ng bagay sa atin, mangyari nawa sana ito. Para sa akin, ang sakripisyong tinutukoy ko ay ang paghingi ng DISPENSATION sa Sta. Iglesia sa aking pagkapari. Ito po ay napakalaking bagay para sa akin. Pero maaari ko pong gawin ito. Bakit?

Para sa akin ang pinakapuso ng pagpapari ay pag-aalay ng sarili sa kapwa lalo na sa mga mahihirap at maralita. Ito naman po ay aking ginawa noong ako ay nakadestino sa mga parokya at patuloy kong sinasabuhay nga yong ako ay gobernador. Mas higit ko pa ngang nilalaan ang aking sarili ngayon kaysa noon. Kaya lang po kailangan kong hu mingi ng dispensation upang maipagpatuloy ko ang aking panunungkulan sa pulitika sapagkat ito ang batas ng Sta. Iglesia na kailangan ko itong sundin. Ayaw kong sumuway sa kahilingan ng Iglesia.

Nagpapasalamat po ako sapagkat ang ating Sta. Iglesia ay maunawain. Kung sa bagay naniniwala akong hindi rin naman masama ang aking layunin. Kung ako naman ay bi nabatikos ng iba sa ginawa kong desisyon na ito, nire respeto ko po ang kanilang pahayag at pagtingin. Wala akong galit sa kanila. Tanging hangad ko lang naman ay ako ay manindigan batay sa nakikita kong buhay na dapat ialay upang sama-sama na ting itaguyod ang ating Inang Bayan.

[Gov, kung hindi mo na ramdam ang pagpapari, at ang pagiging pulitiko na talaga ang nasa puso mo, umalis ka na lang, huwag ka nang magpapigil. Huwag mo sanang konsensyahin ang mga kababayan natin para suportahan at iboto ka dahil sa iyong sinasabing “sakripisyo”. Maging totoo ka sa iyong sarili na mas pinili mo na ang buhay sa labas ng Simbahan kaysa sa loob nito. Sana rin ay huminto na rin kayo sa pang-aabuso sa pagiging maunawain ng Simbahan at ng mga Obispo sa ginagawa ninyong paglabag sa inyong mga sinumpaang tungkulin sa Panginoon at sa Simbahang Katoliko bilang isang pari.]

Read On

Politics as Vocation, Priesthood as a Fallback Career?

4:30 AM

Politics as vocation, Priesthood as Fallback Career?

I don't know about you, but my Jesuit Catholic upbringing and what I know of priests and priesthood is telling me that there is something very wrong with the idea that IF he gets the full dispensation from the Pope, IF he runs for the presidency in 2010 and IF he loses, Governor Ed Panlilio will by all means try to reclaim his priesthood, and IF the CBCP decides against it, he will contest that decision. IF.

Yes, I know all of these are still in the “IF” stages, and I already said much about the infamous “iffishness” of the priest-governor.

My point now is this:

There is nothing minutely spiritual, or moral about Panlilio’s scheme of near-future events. I fail to see his “love for priesthood” over all of this. What is crystal clear is this: Panlilio is, effectively and blatantly trying to make the priestly vocation as nothing more than a fallback career. He wants to get the most out of both worlds!

His decision to seek dispensation for what he claims to be for the “love of country” -- yes, even at the current IF stage -- is the ultimate manifestation that he had chosen the material realm over the spiritual. For Panlilio, the State had become more important than the Church. He now wants to serve the government of man over the government of God. Worldly politics is Panlilio’s new vocation.

In basic organizational principle, to preserve the cohesiveness and unity within, a member who openly violates, no longer believe or adhere to the basic principles of that organization are either asked to resign, or is expelled. In Panlilio’s case, he was lucky to have Archbishop Paciano Aniceto as his immediate superior.

With utmost forbearance, Apung Ceto only suspended Panlilio of his priestly functions despite the latter’s willful disobedience to him as his bishop and for violating the Canon Law.

Back then Panlilio promised Apung Ceto that it will just be for three years.

Also back then, the archbishop must have seen the people’s clamor for Panlilio to run, saw how the laity and even non-Catholics were inspired and were drawn closer to God because of this. There was something positive about Panlilio’s candidacy.

But now, whatever was good about Panlilio’s entry in the political realm in 2007 was already replaced and overwhelmed by the bad. The bishops are very much aware of the growing disillusionment, demoralization, confusion and even the pain that Panlilio is causing the people of Pampanga especially those from the ranks of his once most loyal and committed supporters. They know that something wrong is happening to Among Ed.

Our dear Kapampangan bishops seem to have used every possible means to discourage Among Ed against his political plans. In private, I can imagine that they have done prayer sessions, intercessions, consultations, dialogues. All these obviously did not work.

Perhaps to apply more pressure and to wake Panlilio from his dreamlike state, the Church hierarchy was compelled to openly criticize and reject Panlilio’s plans. (See “Panlilio: It’s back to priesthood if he loses”, PDI, July 21, 2009; “Panlilio angers prelates, Superiors Reject Fr. Ed’s plan to run for president”, PDI July 10, 2009)

Here’s a thought: I think everyone from the Church whose opinion should matter to Among Ed already did what they can to keep him away from the enticing, head-swelling, vanity-building world of politics and of man.

The Gov. Ed Panlilio that you now see is a different man from the Among Ed that we all loved.

I say for the sake of the Roman Catholic Church, for unity and to protect all the Catholics from more shame, shock and demoralization whenever the politician Ed Panlilio blatantly disregard and disrespect you, our dear Bishops, let him be.
Let him be a man of this world that he so chooses to be. Let him learn from his own mistakes and to face the consequences of his own actions.

But don’t, please, allow him to make the priesthood a fallback career.

Read On

N.Q. (Not Qualified)

11:51 AM

N.Q. (not qualified)

(Note: I wrote this on July 13,

four days before Panlilio again declared that he "might" be running for president...)

As of last count, we now have 14 – well, 15 if we include former Pres. Joseph Estrada -- potentially and kinetically energetic aspirants for the May 2010 Presidential elections.

With the latest declarations of intent by KAPATIRAN Party / Olongapo City Councilor J. C. delos Reyes and environmental activist Nicanor Perlas what we now have is a league of one too many presidential hopefuls!

There’s Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, MMDA Chief Bayani Fernando, Sen. Richard Gordon, Sen. Loren Legarda, Sen. Manny Villar, Sen. Mar Roxas, Sen. Chiz Escudero and Vice President Noli de Castro – all national figures in the Philippine political realm. Also, there’s Perlas and delos Reyes as well as the hoped-fors – meaning still in the process of kumbinsihan -- Chief Justice Renato Puno and Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca. Also, of course, there’s Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, and from the religious / charismatic / Christian movement, Bro. Eddie Villanueva.

Why do I feel as if I am forgetting someone…?

Why, yes, of course, Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio, the priest-politician who, four months ago made a startling declaration that he is “open” to run for president in 2010. The same one who, although there’s barely three months to go before the official filing of candidacy begins (November) and less than a month (August) before reaching the Kaya Natin! deadline -- his one and only real offer of support for a somewhat nationwide campaign -- and yet, there he is, taking his own good time to decide if he is serious about his openness or not.

I heard he’s waiting for God’s green light, and he will know this through the following traffic signs:

First, no common reform candidate would arise.
Next, if the people will really clamor for his candidacy.
Finally, if he personally decides to run and find peace in his heart, then he will run.

It is no wonder, the initial media frenzy over the Panlilio for President “movement” (?) was short-lived. Whatever propaganda edge he pulled off over his opponents by using Sun Tzu’s “element of surprise”, it was easily forfeited because of his perpetual dilly-dallying. Now, before he even opens his mouth to let out his once upon a time suspenseful edge-of-your-seat final verdict on his grand political plans, his audience had already grown bored out of their wits and scooted out of the courtroom.

There goes your President, Harvey!

Aside from his indecisiveness, I think it just got too obvious that other than the support of his allies at the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Ateneo’s Kaya Natin, and a handful of individuals and organizations here and abroad, Panlilio do not have any reliable base to rely on to sustain a successful presidential bid.

The Kapampangans who should have been his solid political base just isn’t there for him. Aside from the regular praise releases of the PDI for him, what evidence is there of his competence as a local government official and his ability to lead and inspire his constituents in Pampanga, much more, the whole country?

Sadly, he had overestimated his electoral victory in 2007. The loyalty and unbelievable commitment that he then enjoyed from the Kapampangan Crusaders is gone. Whatever support he relied on at that time, he had almost completely squandered. This is, and will always be a huge dilemma for the Panlilio for President prime-movers because there is no hiding of the fact from the rest of the country that Panlilio’s very own kabalens does not have any confidence in him.

Neither could he rely on the open support of the leadership of the clergy and the laity of the Catholic Church. Bishop Ambo David’s latest admonition to the laity was against the pushing of Panlilio to pursue his political plans instead of honoring the 3-year agreement that he Apung Ceto had in 2007. This practically stopped at its track any plans Panlilio might have to maximize for his political campaign whatever’s left of his priestly influence over the Catholic laity.

Consistently, Lingayen Archbishop Oscar Cruz stood ground on his view that priests should not hold any public office. Not only does he believe that a priest-politician is “an anomaly” to the Church, urged Panlilio that he should seek complete dispensation from his priesthood if he will run for president, but more so, Bishop Cruz also questioned his ability and competence as governor. To all these valid issues, Panlilio treated the good Bishop as if he belongs to the “enemy” camp.

Quickly settling the matter, and to Panlilio’s dismay, the CBCP quickly gave its clear-cut pronouncement of non-support for Panlilio’s candidacy and even affirmed Bishop Cruz’ recommendation of seeking for dispensation.

Now, even the dean of Ateneo de Manila University School of Government (AdMU-ASoG) Atty. Tony La Vina, in his recent piece which I by the way stumbled upon in one of my rare Facebook moments, made these observations that I found interesting, considering that the ASoG people knows who and what Among Ed is a governor.

He wrote: “We should acknowledge that, given their lack or limited governance record, the country is also taking a risk with these reformers.”

He said that preferred that Panlilio finish the three terms as Governor (Vina, 2009).

So now, Gov. Ed, in the embarrassing absence of a peoples’ clamor for you to run, with the orders of the Bishops for you to be done with your political adventure and return to the priesthood as you promised, as well as the knowing advise of your ASoG dean who was too kind and diplomatic to tell you that you are N.Q. to be the next president of this country, what does your heart tell you?

Read On

ACT DUMB

9:05 PM

ACT DUMB

Gov. Ed Panlilio said that it hit him that politicians “get kinder” when election time draws near. It’s but natural for any person, not just politicos like himself, to put their better foot forward when they are after something.

Ito naman si Among oh, parang hindi tao na naghangad,nangarap o umibig.

I am certain that at some point of his life, he did his own share of wooing, and took efforts to look and act his best, make the best impression, especially if there were competitors vying for the sweet “yes” of the lucky lady.

When he was running for governor in 2007, his image makers worked wonderful miracles so he would look his kindest, nicest and cleanest.

Also, back then, I remember he was always naturally very kind to Jun and Lolita Hizon and their children - Darius (his chief security), Barangay Chair Jomar, Doll and the rest of the Hizon Clan in whose houses (4) he stayed during the campaign & after the election, the lady volunteers (Myrna Bituin, Tess Guanzon, Agnes Romero, Leleng Santiago, Tess Briones, Tootsie Herrera, Nina Saplala, Nina Tomen, Janet Mallari, Lilian Limjoco, among others), Rene Romero and all the other big financial backers - of course the Davids of Betis (Bishop Ambo, Atty. Dante David, Randy). The men I saw with him every evening - Marny Castro, Tatang Fer Caylao, the ex-seminarians and youth volunteers - Archie Reyes, Rop Syquia, Alex Pineda, Ave Laquindanum Patrick Guanzon, Noynoy Santiago, John Sambo, and many others.

Sadly, though, like most wooers who make promises of sun and moon, they fall short, and worst, renege.

KUDOS is in order to Atty. Vivian Dabu for finally getting her salaries. So all this time she is not getting her salary, she is a volunteer staff of the government? Double congratulations to her and Among Ed for probably avoiding possible legal repercussions for holding too much power despite the “volunteer” status. Or am I speaking too soon?

POINT IS, THERE IS NO POINT

What really is the point of the well-crafted July 1 PUNTO! story of Panlilio’s friend Ms. Tonette Orejas on “PRIEST in POLITICS: No graft in 2 years”?

That priests are able to resist temptations, they live simply and they are good at making sacrifices? Ok copy. But aren’t these some of the basic traits any priest, not just Among Ed, should have for them to actually become priests? And with his campaign line of moral, ethical and responsible leadership, the Capampangans were made only to expect as much and maybe even more.

That “Pwede pala!”, a graft-free government is doable, or that it is doable because the leader is a priest? Come on, pari nga sya eh. If there is any current government office in any part of this country that should be graft free, it is that one ran by a priest-governor. Why would he allow it?

But wait, why is the leadership standard limited to plain and simple living? Why not excellence, professionalism and effective governance?

CONDESCENDING: By implication, nakakalungkot itong mga realizations ni Among Ed sa dalawang taon niyang paglalaro sa Capitolio. It is a reflection of one or two things about the priest-politician: one, he feigns ignorance about the man’s nature at the expense of others. Two: he probably thinks all the employees of the Capitol are corrupt and inefficient that he is so amazed about the fact the “Pwede pala!” silang maging malinis at masipag.

Ano ba yan!

Read On

8:52 PM

YOU MIGHT BE A DIE-HARD GOV. ED FAN IF...

You come up with an online survey on your website on whether controversial Provincial Administrator Atty. Dabu should be fired from her job but cancel the same survey just when everybody is checking the Yes answer because well, you didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

You unceasingly cite your favorite Bible story David versus Goliath when people ask how Gov. Ed plans to win the 2010 presidential election without the machinery, money, and the votes.

You question the credibility of a survey on presidential wannabes because results shows Gov. Ed’s name at the very end of the list getting a measly 0.2%.

You vehemently agree that Atty. Vivian Dabu is the ONLY person in Pampanga who can do the job of a Provincial Administrator, and nobody else!

You brag about the “achievements” of Gov. Ed but purposely do not read the local dailies in Pampanga showing the real score there because you believe that all the local journalists are paid publicists of the Lapids, Pinedas and Arroyos.

Grabbing every chance you get, you don’t forget to quote Gov Ed’s P1 million per day quarry tax collection but purposely forget to mention that it stopped being that a long, long time ago.

You feel sorry but hold grudges against the former confidence team members who has left Gov Ed’s side because of Atty. Dabu, thinking, “Oh those poor misguided, incompetent people, they just couldn’t keep up with the pressure.”

You think all the criticisms and bad news against Gov. Ed are untrue, fabricated, imagined and exaggerated because Gov Ed is oh so perfect!

Now, you really are a Gov Ed die-hard fan if…

You secretly accept a brown paper bag full of money from an unknown man while in Malacanang, if caught, hold a national press conference and ask the Office of the President to issue you an official receipt.

You tell the whole world that it seems you were bribed, but only after you spend some of it. Goodbye, evidence!

You are the governor but you are “not privy” to the provincial investment plans. AYOS!

Because you are so humble, you refuse to put your name on the government projects billboards but it’s perfectly alright to put a nice Borj Meneses’ photo shot of your smiling face on all of them.

You enter into a commitment via a dialogue with protesting BALAS employees but four days later forget all about it and ask, “Did I really say that? Show me the minutes!”

You insist on being a priest but you don’t want the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary at your office, and if asked, just say “Oh, I now keep her in my room to get closer to her,” thinking the Mama Mary’s devotees will love that!

Knowing there will be a big rally of incensed truckers against a new Capitol policy, and you know they would definitely demand for a dialogue, you immediately call all the media people available to come to your office and then shut the door and have your bodyguards ready. When the rallyists come up, knock loudly because you just won’t open your double-locked door, go tell the media: “Oh look, they want to attack me!”

You agree to the Governor's move to have former PNP Provincial Director Keith Singian fired because he did not rush to the Governor's Office to "protect Panlilio" from the imaginary "attackers".

(To be continued)

TO the readers: Thanks for the emails and the wonderful ideas and keep them coming! You might also want to email me your own versions of “You might be a die-hard fan of Gov Ed if…”.

Read On

ONSEHAN

2:29 AM

ONSEHAN

I am pleasantly amazed by the sudden display of guts and militancy by priest-politician Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio, at least for his brave short speech at the anti-Con-Ass Rally held in Makati last week. There he roared, “Tayo po ay ino-onse ng gobyernong ito!” (“We are being fooled by this government!”) Finally, he made his position clear! No more camouflage.

He went on to speak about all the mighty-sounding ideals of “abundance, justice, power to the people.”

That came after the much talked about Anti-Con-Ass paid political ad where together with other politicians and concerned individuals, Among Ed expressed his refusal to be silenced by the powers and dramatically taped-off his mouth and said, “Hindi ako papayag…”

The many that have bones yet unpicked with the priest-politician and the not-quite-a-damsel in Capitolio is definitely not fooled by this timely patriotic exhibition.

“Among Ed, kami po ang inoonse nyo! Hindi kami papayag!” is the comment that I got from a former BALAS supervisor who even now, after almost a year of protest seeking only a small amount of unpaid wages and benefits but out of vindictiveness of the lady administrator have failed to benefit from the true meaning of justice that Among Ed so easily speaks about here and there.

Luchie Gutierrez is banned, with matching security guards, from entering her own office despite the court declaration that her 90-day suspension by the jury-judge-executioner governor is null and void. Luchie is clearly being subjected to harassment as more cases are filed against her. Not only is deprived of what is just and fair, but she is a victim of Panlilio’s selective practice of his favorite phrase “rule of law”, as it usually becomes nothing more than a simple “opinion” of the court if it runs against his wishes.

Again I wonder, is good governance just about making a stand against corruption? Did he really just become the governor of Pampanga – and now aiming for higher a post – to fight corruption? Aren’t incompetence / inefficiency and injustice/abuse of power higher forms of corruption? Is not the fight against corruption based on the fight for justice? But what is justice for Panlilio? One that is just only for him and not for those who have differences with him?

To speak about fighting corruption while he himself may be guilty of it is the worst kind because there is deception, a local form of pang-o-onse and taking people for a ride.

Read On

1:52 PM

NUMBERS DON’T LIE: How Among Ed Plays the Game of Stats and Still Lose

The recent press statement of Panlilio congratulating himself and the new BALAS Boys for having surpassed quarry collections compared to the past administrations is really a clear attempt to deceive the public by creating the wrong impression and elevate himself as the good and honest governor.

Everybody knows that prior to Panlilio’s assumption as governor of Pampanga, Vice Governor Yeng Guiao has already sued the Lapids for plunder because of alleged irregularities in the quarry collections. In fact, Panlilio himself capitalized and benefited from this very issue, partnered with that of jueteng, and used both as effective campaign lines to defeat his political opponents in 2007 elections.

Now, why did Panlilio and his public information office compare his own quarry tax collection performance to that of the Lapids, and a huge announcement at that toying with statistics (millions and millions of that, more than double this, 14 times more than that) even while, as we all know, the latter were ridden with multiple allegations of corruption?

Oh, that’s right, it was a nice friendly reminder to the public of the long running good vs evil theme, and a build-up for his next move which he did four days later (Yeng says 1 year later) to file the graft and corruption charges against the Lapids et al.

Oo nga naman, aside from projecting himself as THE ULTIMATE GRAFT BUSTER, he can also try to steal Yeng’s thunder (going after the Lapids on the issue of corruption in quarry collections was Yeng’s bitter and lonesome crusade) and strategically try halt Leon Guerrero on his tracks on the way back to Capitolio.

He knows full well that he may have luckily beaten the son, but there is no way he can win over the father. Besides, with him being a disastrous flop in what is now clear to many as being nothing more than an act as Pampanga’s governor (where Dabu is said to be the director), his chances of getting re-elected is glaringly slim-to-none.

Okay, please bear with me, say for the sake of argument, let us suppose that GOOD AND HONEST GOVERNANCE in Pampanga is only about the quarry tax collection of the last 23 months as Panlilio’s recent statement seems to imply. Can we all truthfully say that such is at work in this province? Has he satisfactorily explain why his administration failed to meet the benchmark of P1 million per day collection that it has highly publicized and therefore set during the first few months of his career? If the system is good, and the management efficient, shouldn’t the quarry collections increase instead of plunge?

Reports and figures clearly indicate a downward trend in the collections, especially after the termination of the original supervisors and checkers of BALAS:

If, as the governor declared, the collection for the 23-month period is P397,608,000.00, and the total collection from July 2007 – February 2009 is P347,510,000.00, then the collection from March – May 2009 can be grossly estimated as only P50,098,000.00 – that’s on the average P17M of monthly collection – a far cry from the P24, 20, 21 millions collected during the first 3 months of Panlilio administration!

Instead of the spurious comparison between the Lapids - Panlilio quarry performance (which by virtue of Panlilio’s graft and corrupt charges against the Lapids would be and is actually very low), why did he not instead evaluate his own 23-month performance and honestly explain why the collection is going down instead of up? In fact, as per reports, there are more or less 3,000 trucks of sand hauled from the quarry sites all over Pampanga every day, and with a truly efficient system of collection, the province can collect as much as P900,000.00 daily. The benchmark. So what happened?

What is happening?

This ‘cheating’ of Panlilio to deceive the public is a trapo technique. Paging Kaya Natin and the Ateneo School of Government: Please teach Among Ed to be ‘honest’ in his political propaganda.#

Read On

Lowering the Bar

4:04 PM

LOWERING THE BAR

WHERE do we develop our values?

At home. In school. Good friends. Ideal mentors.

When we were young and we were caught telling a lie, sinasabon ang mga bibig namin. My younger brother was caught smoking and Papa had him eat the whole stick of cigarette.

It is an issue of reward and punishment. You do bad, lagot ka. So the issue of how we treat corrupt officials -- jail them, shame them, sue them etc. -- is very important for the young ones to develop a strong sense of what is right and what is wrong especially now that many parents are busy making a living or separating from each other.

I read a statement that Among Ed was one of the two presidential aspirants at the ANC Leadership Forum a couple of weeks ago who mentioned that THE DECLINE OF CORRECT VALUES has destroyed the Philippine society.

I believe this, too.

But leaders, especially presidential aspirants who preach and wish to claim the moral upper-hand like Among Ed should lead by example and not by mere words.

He has to answer for the many questionable things he has done while a governor of Pampanga. He must come clean with the omission of the names of his financial contributors and their actual contributions in the list that he submitted to COMELEC in 2007. It is not enough to state ambiguously that his accountants and lawyers have “ironed it out” with the COMELEC.

He must apologize for lying about the P500,000 he received in the parking lot of Malacañang -- the bundle of money he admitted he got (only after he was asked by a reporter-friend), the same “dirty money” as he presented it to the media and later the Senators, the bundle of money he claimed he never touched, but admitted a year later, and only after his former aide squealed, that he authorized the use of P20,000 of it. Ano pong moral value ang mapupulot natin dito? Ang umamin lamang kapag napansin na at wala nang lusot?

Are we to just forget about these things and conveniently dismiss them as mere lapses of judgment just so we can perfectly fit Among Ed to our idea of a moral leader, one who will lead the country’s moral revolution? Huwag naman po.

I feel I must quote from an email that I received last week, one by a Rodolfo Paglinawan who brilliantly captured my sentiments on the lowering of both the moral and governance standards just so we can install the priest-politician who for some, SEEMS to offer what our country needs.

Wrote Mr. Paglinawan: “What has Ed Panlilio done to make Pampanga a model province - that we now should elect him president? Increased revenues? But that is what every governor is expected to do… But crowning a man for complying with his basic job description? Boy let us not lower the bar. The minimum requirement for any government employee is public trust, as public office is public trust.

Pampanga’s cities are faced with a population growth higher than national average. By what record proportions has he increased investments and employment opportunities to cope with the increased human density? ...Does he have any flagship projects? Has he increased the number of schools, build more markets, farm-to-market roads and bridges, and post-harvest facilities? What about crime? How dramatic has been the drop in crime rate? Has he eradicated illegal gambling in the province? Has he even minimized it? What about agricultural increments, has there been any perks? Where is the bumper harvest that he has helped create? What about tax collection, other than from gravel and sand? Is there any capability-building programs and attendant infrastructure that have been built to increase employability of its residents, within and without Pampanga? What about tourism? What about improvements in health and social services?

With Ed Panlilio, what direction of change will he take us? For now, without categorical answers to my questions above, it is more like a game of chance, not change.

This man is playing ‘jueteng’ with our minds.

What the Philippines deserve today is a clear road map from presidentiables, supported by established and concrete and historical proof of achievement. Indeed, we are in biblical times - We need a national leader who has built his reputation on rock-solid foundations with scars and track records to show, and Governor Panlilio has yet built his reputation on sand and gravel.

What the Philippines need today is a Nehemiah who besides moral ascendancy, can rise over divisions, inspire volunteerism and sacrifice, and rebuild the walls of our modern-day Jerusalem. Governor Panlilio cannot even put his provincial act together, as most local government officials are not on his side.

So puede ba, Panlilians, run around the block for half an hour and afterwards, reward yourselves with a cold shower. If that still don’t earn you an honest epiphany on this issue, just like one advertisement - face the bathroom mirror, slap yourselves twice across your face for thank God you needed that!”

Read On

Bistado

3:13 PM

BISTADO

What a bummer it must have been for the handful dreamers of an “Among Pres” (Father President) in 2010 had they imagined that the ANC Leadership Forum held at Ateneo last week may just be the perfect opportunity to showcase and promote their manok.

Well, ideally, it should, kung may ibubuga ang nasabing manok.

For one, it is a free 2-hour prime time TV exposure with a fairly wide captive audience especially from the upper/middle class professional/intellectual folks here and abroad who are also potential big-time funders, influential opinion shapers, campaigners and volunteers. Added bonus too is that the questions seem to have been given in advance (which explains how the slow-to-discern Panlilio went sleepless over the question of PGMA’s positive contribution to our country) giving the guests the opportunity to deliver their best President-material responses and perhaps minimize the generic motherhood, ill-conceived and even goofy statements.

Having some idea of how grueling any public face-off / battle-of-Presidential-wits under the close scrutiny of intellectuals, experts and professionals can get, the lead dreamer/convener of the Panlilio-for-President Utopian Society could have called for a mock-Question and Answer session with their manok thereby making sure that he will come out of the battle victorious and worthy of the hallowed pedestal that they had him installed. But since they obviously did not, ayan tuloy, nangamote. Kawawa naman.

The commentaries of national columnists and online bloggers after the forum somewhat demonstrates my point. Almost in unison, the general sentiment was: THERE IS NO WAY THAT THIS PRIEST CAN BE THE NEXT PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT.

Clearly unimpressed, the ever-sharp Amado Doronila of PDI concluded that all the aspirants where opportunistic and would grab every chance, even Manny Pacquiao’s fame and fortune, to get their hands on the presidency. Talk about the claims over Panlilio being the ‘real alternative’ presidential candidate!

Also incisive but more direct was the comments of Herman Tiu Laurel of The Daily Tribune. He wrote: “Then, there’s that newcomer whom everybody knows is kicking himself upstairs because he failed to fulfill the expectations of his provincemates who helped secure his fluke of a slim win, who wouldn’t be able to win again given his situation today. This fellow, a priest, is sadly possessed of a hyperbolic perception of his own significance, who clings to an ideology that is too limited to the anti-corruption issue, betraying an ignorance or denial of neo-colonialism, as well as corporatocratic feudalism as the real problems of this country.” OUCH!

Mr. Tony Lopez of the Manila Times wrote his take on Panlilio: “Retired priest, Ed Panlilio, the governor of Pampanga, sounded like he didn’t want (he gave a lot of “ifs”) to join Pacquiao but he didn’t have the mental honesty to say so on prime time TV. Ricky Carangdang asked the right question when he asked Governor Panlilio why so many people in Pampanga hate him. The governor ducked the question by saying many other people also like him. What Carangdang didn’t ask the good padre is why is it the nearly the entire Pampanga officialdom doesn’t like Panlilio, which says a lot about his style of governance. The ANC anchor also didn’t ask Panlilio what gives him the right to run for president when he seems to have made a mess of running the Pampanga provincial government. And why does he give so many conditions before he could be convinced to run. Is he a frontrunner? Surveys don’t even sniff his name among the top-of-the mind choices of voters for president. To me, Father Panlilio is simply on an ego trip. He is not a viable presidential candidate. He has very little chances of winning. Right now, he is not even sure of winning reelection in his native Pampanga.” OUCH! OUCH!

Fernando Gagelonia posted on midfield.blogspot.com, “Panlilio was the least impressive alternately sounding like the man of the cloth that he still is, while grappling with the intricacies of vested-interest local politics in his native Pampanga.”

From Gov. Panlilio’s responses on the 10-minute one-on-one interview with Ricky, it is clear that what’s keeping the suspended priest from finally seeking dispensation from the Vatican or to resign from the priesthood is really no longer about his love for the vocation as he piously and repeatedly declared in the not so distant past.NOW, THE TRUTH IS OUT: IT IS REALLY JUST ABOUT THE MONEY!

Ricky: What are the factors that will make you decide kung tatakbo talaga kayo?Gov. Ed: Wala tayong pera, Ricky eh… Kung tutulungan ako, if this will snowball, then I might go for it.
Hay naku, Among Ed, with the way you treated your campaign donors, fellow Crusaders, supporters, volunteers, staff, friends and relatives after THEY installed you into power, how can you expect a nationwide snowballing of support? With less than a year to prove that you were worth the sacrifice and the votes of the people of Pampanga, what have you got to show for it?

We all reap what we sow.You sow disunity among the people, contempt and suspicion of any elected official who refuses to kowtow to you, and you consistently listen only to the voice of – no, not God’s, but his own and that of his goddess. Ganun na ba talaga kayo kagaling ngayon, Gov?

If there is one really good thing the ANC Leadership Forum did for its viewers, it is this: IT HELPED EXPOSE GOVERNOR PANLILIO FOR WHAT HE TRULY IS AND WHAT HE CLEARLY IS NOT.

Read On

Panlilio = Lugo? IF ONLY

10:57 AM

Panlilio = Lugo? IF ONLY

It is not surprising why some would want to compare Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio with Paraguay President Fernando Lugo.

For starters, they are both men of cloth, who more or less reneged against the Canon Law provision against priests holding public office and to be blunt, have traded the pulpit for politics.

Governor Ed was a parish priest while President Lugo was a bishop who was Paraguay’s Provincial Superior of the Divine Word community – basically the top gun of all SVD priests in his country.

While President Lugo realized his priestly vocation at age 19 after his touching experience as a training teacher in a religious rural community who longed for but did not have a priest, Among Ed at an early age wanted to become a priest because of, according to him, “mundane and capricious” reasons: “the priest always have delicious food.” “We always wanted to accompany the priest because his food was delicious, and he was rich. Kasi ang pari, misa lang ng konti, ang dami ng pera, at saka respetado [When a priest hears even only a handful of mass, he receives money. A priest is respected]. Everywhere he goes, he gets the best place, he’s being listened to. Ganyan ang pari e [That’s how priests are].”* He must have been kidding, a joker that he can be at times.

While Bishop Lugo stayed with just one seminary for his spiritual formation, Among Ed moved from one seminary to another admittedly because he was an “idealist” and went through a “long discernment process” where he said, “’pag di ako nakuntento sa isa, lilipat ako”. So from Don Bosco Juniorate in Bacolor where he stayed for two years, he moved to Don Bosco Seminary in Canlubang, Laguna for a year, and then a year each for San Carlos Seminary and Immaculate Conception Seminary in Vigan. His longest stay was at St. Augustine Seminary where he stayed for 5 years, including pastoral work. He also studied at the Divine Word Theology in Tagaytay for his academic formation.

Soon after Lugo was ordained, he was sent to Ecuador for a 5-year mission work where he was exposed to Liberation Theology, a revolutionary Christian model of “church for the poor” and that it was every Christian’s mission to bring justice to the poor and oppressed through political activism. He brought back this teaching with him and practiced it in Paraguay which was then under the dictatorship of Gen. Stroessner. It did not take long before the local police persecuted Lugo as it took only 1 year before he was expelled from his country. He returned 5 years later where he continued his work for the poor. In 1994, he was ordained Bishop and was assigned at the poverty-stricken San Pedro Department where he used his position to help campesinos battle for agrarian reform, foreign control of their natural resources, state repression and brutality. He organized Civilian Resistance, a broad alliance of political parties and mass organizations against the abuses and corruption of the ruling Colorado regime. He was a well-loved leader and organizer at the grassroots level where he played an integral role in the Paraguayans' fight for a just and fair society, making him known and worthy of the title as the “Bishop of the Poor”.

Meanwhile, Among Ed’s record as a priest was somewhat different. He was a SACOP executive director for 15 years. While being so, he was involved in the social action programs of the institution, including but not limited to micro-lending, low-cost housing project and relief and rehabilitation operations for the victims of Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991. Among Ed also established the TPKI, a Grameen-bank style of micro-lending and financing, in which mission is to “help low-income Filipinos, particularly the people of Pampanga break out of poverty by providing them with financial and complementary services.” They have some nice programs and I particularly liked the concept of small group loans and the Boundary Hulog Program which is not unlike how any enterprising kabalen could get from any “daily hulog for a motorcycle” like Transcycle, only with TPKI there is less loan interest. No wisecrack, I liked the project so when I was a Congressman I was able to direct P5 million to this group and it's how I first met Among Ed. Second was when he said his last mass in Betis before filing his Certificate of Candidacy.

Another point of comparison is perhaps the dramatic campaign and heroic victory of Among Ed in the 2007 gubernatorial elections when he ran on the platform of good governance, moral leadership and transparency against the well-oiled economic and political machinery of the Lapids and Pinedas. As it was with Among Ed, it was the people of Paraguay, through their 100,000 signatures who finally convinced THE GOOD BISHOP to run and catapulted him to the presidency last April 2008 against the 62-year old ruling Colorado Party. It was a similar attempt of the people to take the first great leap to affect much-needed changes in the socio-political system in their country.

Similarly, there were strong reactions and apprehensions, even chastisement from various fronts especially the Church when these Catholic men of cloth – Among Ed and Fernando Lugo – chose politics over their priesthood. There were / are raging arguments coming from Canon Law experts that prompted the Catholic hierarchy to suspend Among Ed from his priestly duties as soon as he announced his intention to run for Governor and filed his candidacy.

But unlike Among Ed who deems himself a priest-on-leave which makes him a priest-politician (which to Archbishop Cruz is “an anomaly to the hierarcy”), the good ex-bishop Lugo was determined and decisive. As early as January 2005, he resigned as head of the diocese and asked for his laicization as he was getting more involved with his political and social activities outside of the church. His request for dispensation was denied because as per the Church laws, bishops could not be laicized. When he ran for President in 2008, he was “suspended from the discharge of the ordained ministry” but was not dismissed of his “clerical state” – once a priest always a priest. However, when he won the election, Pope Benedict XVI reversed the earlier decision and finally accepted the bishop’s request for laicization.

Another admirable fact about ex-bishop now President Lugo is this: he admitted that he had fathered a child with Viviana Carillo while he was still a bishop and assumed responsibility over his two-year old son. He necessarily nipped the scandal in the bud to protect his child from further pain. Well, priest or otherwise, isn’t that something any mature father should do, to not deny his child and to take responsibility for his deeds or misdeeds?

Ah, if only Among Ed was Fernando Lugo!

* from A shepherd inside the wolves’ den Conversations with “Among Ed” Panlilio by Levie Cequeña and Jayson Edward B. San Juan, The Lobbyist.biz, an online magazine.

Read On