Gov Panlilio harassed in PGMA hometown

MABALACAT, Pampanga – Liberal Party re-electionist Gov. Eddie Panlilio decried “harassment” and “an atmosphere of fear” in this province’s second district, the turf of the politically powerful Pineda clan where President Arroyo is running for Congress.

At a press conference held by LP standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino at the Feliciano Colleges here, Panlilio reported Wednesday that during the LP motorcade on April 5, supporters of Ms Arroyo and his rival, Lakas-Kampi-CMD gubernatorial bet Lilia Pineda, virtually attacked him and other participants in Barangay Sta. Cruz in Lubao, hometown of both Arroyo and Pineda.

“We were moving slowly in the area when a crowd of about 50 people who held posters of Pineda, (Vice Gov. Joseller) Guiao and Gibo (administration presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro) started to topple our showboat.

Cars behind were hit and kicked,” he said.

During the birthday Mass for the President in Lubao last Monday, Ms Pineda’s son Lubao Mayor Dennis Pineda said the convoy of Panlilio was involved in a hit-and-run case in Barangay Sta. Cruz.

The mayor’s aide identified the victim as Dan Maris, 55, who allegedly sustained minor injuries.
But Panlilio insisted the hit-and-run report was fabricated. “It’s impossible because our convoy at that time in Sta. Cruz was running at five to 10 kilometers per hour. A hit-and-run is impossible at that rate,” he said.

He said participants in their motorcade have video footages to prove this.

Four members of the family of Rodolfo “Bong” Pineda of Lubao are running in the May elections.
Apart from his wife Lilia who is seeking the gubernatorial post, also running are their daughter Mylene for Lubao mayor, daughter-in-law Yolanda for re-election as Sta. Rita mayor, and son Dennis as nominee of the party-list group Ang Galing Pinoy, which listed presidential son Rep. Mikey Arroyo as its first nominee.