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.]

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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.

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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?

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