Ex-Panlilio supporters nix recall bid, bat for reforms
This was the gist of a statement issued yesterday by Kapampangan Marangal, Inc. (KMI), a group headed by Gov. Eddie Panlilio’s former campaign manager and spokesperson Averell Laquindanum, one of 15 close staff members of Panlilio who resigned one after another from the provincial capitol.
“We strongly reject the recall initiative filed against Gov. Panlilio at this point in time. A year after the elections, we are just beginning to heal the wounds of divisions through dialogues and peaceful negotiations. Holding a divisive political exercise so soon will only re-open the as yet unhealed wounds and undermine efforts for Pampanga’s progress,” the KMI statement said.
On Thursday, the Kapanalig at Kambilan ning Memalen Pampanga, Inc. (Kakampi) launched a recall move against priest-turned-governor Panlilio, saying the governor has lost the confidence of his constituents. It vowed to gather some 100,000 signatures of registered voters in Pampanga to justify the holding of a special elections for governor before May next year.
Some initiators of the recall petition, however, admitted being “avid campaigners” in the last polls for Lilia Pineda who lost to Panlilio by 1,147 votes and has since filed an electoral protest seeking recount of votes. The protest has remained pending.
The KMI statement said “the results of the May 2007 gubernatorial elections brought ripples of hope around the country that any well-meaning Kapampangan would be proud of.”
“Shunning the usual practices characteristic of traditional and patronage politics, we elected Gov. Eddie Panlilio on the basis of his good governance platform. It was one shining moment for Pampanga that future generations can always look back to for inspiration,” it said.
While KMI objected to the recall move, it nevertheless “challenged the Panlilio administration to immediately implement much needed reforms.”
It identified the areas in need of reforms as ensuring “checks and balances at the Capitol by not concentrating power and authority on the provincial administrator who holds other positions of influence.”
The provincial administrator is lawyer Vivian Dabu who has stirred various controversies at the Capitol when Panlilio assumed post as governor following his victory in the May polls last year.
“We recommend the creation of a Multi-Sectoral Advisory Council composed of experts and stakeholders in priority development areas to enhance the participatory character of the Panlilio administration,” the KMI proposed.
It urged Panlilio “to give flesh to good governance in Pampanga first and foremost by laying down foundations for economic empowerment to wean the people away from jueteng.”
KMI also asked Panlilio to resolve the controversies in the provincial government’s lahar sand quarry operations called balas which it described as “the Panlilio administration’s achievements” amid increased revenues from it.
“We urge Gov. Panlilio to honor his promise of unconditional reinstatement of the balas boys who went on strike to dramatize their protest against unjust treatment. We recommend the creation of an investigative body that will look into the alleged anomalies as basis for imposing sanctions on those found guilty and clearing the names of those who are not guilty,” the KMI said.
KMI warned that “Pampanga stands to lose much if we are to continue this political tug of war that has been adversely affecting our province’s growth and development.”
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