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Politics as Vocation, Priesthood as a Fallback Career?
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.
N.Q. (Not Qualified)
N.Q. (not qualified)
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?
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?
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.#
Lowering the Bar
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!”
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!”
Panlilio = Lugo? IF ONLY
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.
Ang Matuwid na Pamamahala ni Gov. Panlilio
Ang Matuwid na Pamamahala ni Gov. Panlilio
Bakit galit si Gob. Panlilio kay Cong. Mikey?
Frustrated siya dahil ang campaign promise niya noong kampanya na i-eradicate angjueteng sa Pampanga ay hindi niya matupad-tupad.
Frustrated siya dahil ang pinagmamalaki niyang quarry fees collection ay bumagsak na mula ng sipain niya ang mga original Balas Boys.
He has to blame somebody.
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Malalim ang mga ginawang pag akusa ng gobernador ng Pampanga kay 2nd Dist. Representative Mikey Arroyo. Squid tactic tawag dito ng mga bihasa sa pulitika. Mabilis matuto itong suspendidong pari sa dirty political gimmicks. Congrats!!!
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Galit siya sa jueteng, e, hindi pa siya ipinapanganak mayroon ng jueteng sa Pilipinas. Bakit hindi niya tanong kay Sen. Mar Roxas ang solusyon, e, matagal na naman itong nanunungkulan bilang senador. Bakit si Sen. Roxas? Kasi dadamayan daw niya si Panlilio sa “lonely fight” nito sa jueteng.
Bakit pag malapit na ang halalan binubuksan ang jueteng isyu sa Pampanga? Wala ba nito sa Isabela, Naga o Nueva Ecija? Pakitanong nga natin sa champions ng Kaya Natin!
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Seriously speaking, our society tolerates and promotes gambling, not Cong. Mickey Arroyo. We have bingos in churches and malls. We have contests in our cell phones and TV programs. Malls have raffles when you purchase. Every day, winning Lotto numbers and prizes are all over the front pages of all newspapers.
Sen. Roxas and Gov. Panlilio, subukan po ninyong pag-aralan ang tunay na dahilan at solusyon sa pagiging sugarol ng maraming mga Pilipino.
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He recently received an award because of what the BALAS Boys did to increase collection of quarry fees in Pampanga.
Pero nasaan ang mga tunay na bayani ng mataas na quarry collection na nagbigay karangalan sa probinsya ng Pampanga? Mga ex-seminarians na ipinagmalaki sa lahat ng kanyang talumpati NOON?
Ayun nabubulok sa tapat ng Kapitolyo may anim na buwan ng naka-picket. Sinipa, pinag-resign at pinagbintangan ng walang paglilitis.
Maniniwala ba kayo na dinemanda pa ni Gob at ni Atty Dabu ng libel ang mga ito - 43 of them?
Matuturing bang Kristiyano ang gobernador na ito o ibang klaseng biblia na ang binabasa niya?
At ano na nga ba ang lagay ng quarry collection ng Pampanga mula nang pinagtatanggalang mga TUNAY na BALAS Boys?
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Operational na ang PR campaign proposal contra recall a kumalat noong nakaraang buwan sa ating mga email. Dito, itinuro kay Panlilio ng kanyang mga alipores na muling gamitin ang battlecry ng Crusada noong 2007 campaign: ang Good vs Evil. Si Gob dawang good at si Bong Pineda (at lahat ng ayaw na kay Gob) ang BAD.
Pero hindi ba siya at si Dabu na ang EVIL PERSONIFIED ngayon sa dami ng kanilang mga inaway?
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At tungkol naman sa pagpapalit ng Provincial Director ng PNP, ayan napalitan na pero nag-iiyak na naman si Panlilio dahil hindi ang gusto niya ang napili.
Gob, atin yang proceso ing PNP aliwa king prosesu king buntuk yu ampong favorite adviser yu. You and Atty Dabu claim to have your own processes when you fired in a very unjust and, yes, unchristian manner, the Balas Boys before Christmas.
Why we believe that you abide only by your very own processes:
1) Ayaw mong sagutin ang tanong ng marami bakit 53 campaign contributorslang ang iyong listed and submitted under oath sa Comelec samantalang pinagmamalaki mo na hundreds, even thousands, tumulong at gumastos para sa iyo. Paano naman kaming binigyan mo pa ng resibo?
2) You won’t shed light on the issue of why in one newspaper (Inquirer) you had two different versions of how you got the P500,000 cash.
October 13, 2007, report by Tonette Orejas “Among Ed given P.5M by Palace functionary”, in as much as 200 words, ibinahagi mo ng madetalye kung paanong isang lalakeng Capampangan na nakabarong puting long sleeves ang nag abot sa iyo ng pera sa loob ng Malacanang.
October 16, 2007 , pagkaraan lamang ng tatlong araw sinabi mo naman sa Inquirer, “Panlilio to Palace: Tell Truth on Money” na isa palang gobernador angnag-abot ng pera, at hindi pala sa iyo, kundi sa iyong chief-of-staff na si Archie Reyes.
Ano ba totoo dito? Gob,. Panlilio, malilio na pu kami !!!
3) Sa mga interview niyo at sagot sa tanong ni Senator Allan Cayetano sa Senate hearing, under oath, sabi niyo na hinding-hindi niyo ginalaw ang P500T – “THE MONEY IS STILL INTACT, NOT A BILL REMOVED FROM THE BAG.”
Yun pala ginamit ninyo na ang pera sa pagpunta ng mga tauhan niynyo sa Tagaytay.
Aba e, kung hindi pa kayo ine-expose ng inyong resigned Chief-of-Staff, hindi lalabas ang totoo na nagsinungaling kayo.
Bago matulog sa gabi, hinihingi ko kay Gob. Panlilio na basahin niya ng mabuti angBiblia at tanong sa kanyang diyos kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng mga katagang ito.
Kawikaan 29:2 : “Kapag matuwid ang namamahala,nagsasaya ang madla, ngunit matamlay ang bayan kung ang pinuno ay masama.”
