Panlilio on recall: I can still win

ILAGAN, Isabela – Beleaguered Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio expressed confidence that he could make a big surprise if not a second “miracle” by winning anew as governor of his province should the recall petition against him push through.

“They called my winning the governorship of Pampanga last year a miracle. Now, several months later, I am facing a recall petition. But who knows, there could be a second miracle that would happen,” said Panlilio, a Roman Catholic priest-turned-politician.

Panlilio was here Friday as a speaker in the province-wide youth assembly spearheaded by the Kaya Natin!, which he, Gov. Grace Padaca, along with four other local government officials had formed to promote transparency, accountability and good governance in public service.

Panlilio, however, said that the recall move would have a hard time to push through, although his political opponents are apparently moving hell and high water to achieve it.

According to him, his counsel, noted election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, said the recall petition against him would not be able take off due to technical problems.

First of these, Panlilio said, is the pending electoral protest of former Pampanga board member Lilia Pineda, whom he beat by a slim margin. Her petition for recount is presently under a temporary restraining order.

Pineda is the wife of alleged jueteng lord Bong Pineda whom Panlilio accused of plunder and filed a case for his links to illegal gambling.

“The matter of the election protest should first be resolved before the recall petition could be acted upon,” said Panlilio, who has been the subject of recall move by both political critics and former allies, citing loss of confidence in his leadership.

Aside from this, he said, the 220,000 signatures of those who signed the petition for recall submitted to the Commission on Elections still have to be verified.

“It is very easy just to get the number of signatures needed for a recall, but these signatures have to be double-checked. We have verified that some 15,000 of these signatures belonged to persons who were not registered voters during the last election, meaning they have no business engaging in the recall petition at all,” Panlilio said.

He added that the Comelec doesn’t have enough time or money to prepare for the recall petition.

“I had heard that the Comelec needs some P40 million for the conduct of a recall election but it only has some P5 million,” he said.

Additionally, Panlilio, squelched anew suggestions that he ask his controversial provincial administrator, lawyer Vivian Dabu, to resign since, according to some observers, she appeared to be pulling his political stock down.

“I don’t think (the people asking for Dabu’s resignation) know her that much. She also has many supporters and besides, she enjoys my full confidence,” Panlilio said. “Regarding (her alleged poor interpersonal relationship), that is something which they (Panlilio’s opponents) want to project.”

Panlilio, admitted that some of his more prominent supporters have indeed changed sides, but these were due to his refusal to give them any special favors after assuming the governorship of Pampanga.