ILOILO CITY - The Catholic Church yesterday welcomed the unprecedented victory of Fr. Eddie Panlilio in the gubernatorial race in Pampanga but made clear that it does not encourage the clergy to seek political office.

Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines president and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said Panlilio is "starting a new history in Pampanga" as the first Catholic priest elected to public office.

"My congratulations with sympathy go to Fr. Ed whom his folks in Pampanga will learn to call "Among Gov", Lagdameo said in a one-page statement.

He said the new governor, who narrowly defeated the province's political giants Lilia Pineda and reelectionist Mark Lapid, faces the challenge "to project a new politics one that is first of all God-centered and based on moral values, not tainted by graft and corruption."

Lagdameo said he expects the priest to be the "object of praise and criticism." "For some time he will be in focus: friends and enemies, people in the political divide will be looking at him," said Lagdameo.

But the prelate said Panlilio's victory came with "a very big sacrifice" of his priestly functions.

"Priests are 'chosen by God' for pastoral service of the people. Politicians are elected by the people for political service." He said he sympathizes with Panlilio because the priest "is facing a new playing field for which he was not trained in the seminary, - a political field, with all its embedded, ingrained and systemic political problems, many of which are even closely knit with gambling or jueteng."

But with the Catholic Church already facing criticisms from administration supporters of interfering in politics, Lagdameo made clear that it frowns upon the joining of the clergy in public office.

"What happens with Fr. Panlilio in Pampanga is an exception, very exceptional indeed, and we want to keep it that way,' said Lagdameo.

He said what Panlilio did and can do "can certainly be done by some good layperson and even better."

"The suspension from priestly functions which his Archbishop gave him, is to ensure that there (will) be no confusion between priesthood and politics, thus respecting the separation of Church and State. I would be one for discouraging…any priest from running in public office," said Lagdameo. He pointed out that "priesthood as such is already a public, a pastoral, office with peculiar burden and function for the sanctification and salvation of the people."

Lagdameo said Panlilio's running for office is a call and a challenge to raise among the laity a new breed of political leaders.

"What he is responding to is something that laity must be challenged to respond to as their proper field of involvement," the prelate said.

He urged Panlilio and all the winners of the recent election "to prove the promises they made during the campaign period. We hope and pray that they will be true and faithful to their promises. People must remind the winners in this recent election about their political promises!"*NPB

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Proclamation of winning
bets postponed in Antique

ILOILO CITY-The provincial canvassing board of Antique has failed to proclaim all but one of the winning candidates in the province because of continued pre-proclamation protests.

The PBC has proclaimed reelectionist Rep. Exequiel Javier (Lakas CMD) who won by a margin of nearly 20,000 votes to his closest rival Robert Delfin (PDSP).

It, however, postponed the proclamation of winning candidates for governor, vice governor and members of the provincial board.

On Friday, former assemblyman Arturo Pacificador filed a pre-proclamation protest before the Commission on Elections office in Manila to stop the proclamation of reelectionist Gov. Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez.

Based on election returns from the province's 18 municipalities, Perez has topped the gubernatorial race with 68,867 votes against Pacificador who got 55,502 votes and Jovito Plameras who garnered 54,062 votes.

Gil Barcenal, provincial election supervisor, said they could only proclaim Javier because of the pending protest of Pacificador and one of the candidates for provincial board member.

He said that under election rules, they have to proclaim all local candidates unless they have authorization from the Comelec.

Pacificador has asked the Comelec to suspend the canvassing of votes for governor and the proclamation until pending disqualification cases against Perez and Plameras are resolved.

Pacificador and Plameras have jointly filed the disqualification case against Perez for violations of the Omnibus Election Code after she handed out checks as financial assistance to barangays in Sibalom on April 10 allegedly in violation of the ban on public spending during the election period.

Perez in turn filed the disqualification case against Plameras for violating Batasang Pambansa 52 (An Act Governing the Election of Local Government Officials) which forbids retired election local officials who have received retirement benefits to be elected to the same office from which the official has retired.

Barcenal said they will issue a ruling on the pending motions and issues today during a meeting of the PBC.*NPB

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