Comelec assailed for ‘bias’ in Panlilio case

By George Trillo

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga– Kapampangan volunteers of the Noynoy Aquino Movement (NAM) have joined multi-sectoral leaders in this province in protesting the alleged bias of the Commission on Elections in the electoral case against Gov. Eddie Panlilio.

They said the bias would eventually lead to the installation of former provincial board member Lilia Pineda in what they described as “part of an overall scheme for the congressional candidacy of President Arroyo.”

The NAM volunteers, led by Paul Quiwa, were among some 100 placard-bearing Kapampangans, including priests, who staged a protest march in Barangay Dolores here the other day.

One placard said, “GMA warlords: Ampatuan sa Maguindanao, Pineda sa Pampanga,” and another, “Maguindanao noon, Pampanga ngayon .”

The placards alluded to political patronage under the Arroyo administration.

After a recount of gubernatorial votes cast in this province in 2007, the Comelec’s Second Division is expected to issue anytime its ruling on the electoral case filed by Pineda who alleged that Panlilio committed anomalies in the polls.

Pineda, who ran under the administration Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) party, lost by 1,147 votes to Panlilio, a priest who ran as an independent candidate.

“This is a fight against what is wrong. It is a fight for what is moral. We just cannot allow Lilia Pineda to assume the governorship without violating our Kapampangan conscience,” said Noel Sibal of the Archdiocesan Council of the Laity.

“All intelligent Kapampangans know that Among Ed (Panlilio) could not have cheated in the 2007 elections as claimed by Pineda who had all the resources then,” he said.

Sibal said such a bias would not surprise them if the Comelec’s Second Division finally comes out with a verdict favoring Pineda and ousting Panlilio in time for the May polls next year.

Only recently, the Second Division also came out with a ruling ordering the ouster of Bulacan Gov. Joselito Mendoza based on the electoral protest of former governor Roberto Pagdanganan.

Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca also earlier expressed concern over an electoral protest against her filed by her pro-administration opponent Faustino Dy in the 2007 polls. The Comelec ruled against Padaca Tuesday, unseating her and declaring Dy the winner.

Like Mendoza and Panlilio, Padaca is also now with the Liberal Party.

Fr. Jake Viray, parish priest of Magalang town, alleged that the Comelec’s “expeditious” action on Pineda’s electoral case “was all part of a design that can be related to the congressional candidacy of President Arroyo.”

Mrs. Arroyo has filed her certificate of candidacy in Pampanga’s second congressional district where three virtual unknowns are pitted against her.

Pineda is again running for governor under the administration’s Lakas-Kampi-CMD party against re-electionist Panlilio who has decided to leave the priesthood permanently and recently took his oath as LP member.