Eduardo "Among Ed" Tongol Panlilio (Tagalog: [pɐn̪ˈlil.jo]; born December 6, 1953) is a Filipino former Roman Catholic priest and 31st Governor of Pampanga from 2007 to 2010. He was suspended from his priestly duties upon announcing his intention to run as governor. He was elected governor in May 2007 in a three-way race against incumbent governor Mark Lapid and provincial board member Lilia Pineda. In February 2010, following a recount of votes due to an election protest, the Comelec ruled that Lilia Pineda had won the 2007 election over Panlilio.[1]
Eddie Panlilio | |
|---|---|
 Panlilio in 2007 | |
| 31st Governor of Pampanga | |
| In office June 30, 2007 – June 30, 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Mark Lapid |
| Succeeded by | Lilia Pineda |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Eduardo Tongol Panlilio December 6, 1953 Minalin, Pampanga, Philippines |
| Political party | Liberal (2009–2014; 2024–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Independent (2007–2009; 2014–2024) |
| Residence | San Fernando, Pampanga |
| Education | Don Bosco Academy, Pampanga (primary) Don Honorio Ventura College of Arts and Trades (secondary) |
| Alma mater | Saint Augustine Major Seminary (AB) |
| Occupation | Politician, Former Priest |
| Nickname(s) | Among Ed, Eddie |
Panlilio was named "Filipino of the Year" for 2007 by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.[2]
Early life and education
edit
Eduardo Tongol Panlilio was born in Minalin, Pampanga[3] on December 6, 1953. He is the sixth of seven children of Gervacio Cunanan Panlilio and Catalina Tongol. He is afflicted with vitiligo, a rare skin disease.[4]
After finishing elementary school at the Minalin Central Elementary School, Panlilio enrolled the Don Bosco Academy, Pampanga his sophomore year after spending a year at the Don Honorio Ventura College of Arts and Trades (DHVCAT). Panlilio attended several seminaries, and after finishing his theology at the Saint Augustine Major Seminary was ordained priest on December 13, 1981.
Priesthood
edit
For fifteen years, Panlilio was the director of the Social Action Center of Pampanga (SACOP), which worked with communities displaced by lahar following the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo. He established the micro-lending program Talete king Panyulung ning Kapampangan Inc. (TPKI), based on the Grameen Bank-approach. TPKI released P2 billion in loans to small entrepreneurs in Central Luzon.[5]
Panlilio was suspended from the priesthood by his superior, San Fernando archbishop Paciano Aniceto, for running for governor of Pampanga in 2007.[6] This means that he is forbidden by the Catholic Church to practice priesthood or perform any of the sacraments reserved to priests. The 1983 Code of Canon Law, specifically Canon 285.3, forbids priests from occupying political posts.[6][7] Bishop Leonardo Medroso, chairman of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Canon Law cited a conflict between a role in politics and in the church.[citation needed]
Political career
editPanlilio ran for governor of Pampanga in the 2007 Philippine general election. Panlilio defended his decision to enter politics as a logical continuation of his ministry for the poor, whom he saw as having been exploited and neglected for too long by successive administrations of corrupt and uncaring politicians.[8]
Without any political party, he won over his two competitors, provincial board member Lilia Pineda and re-electionist governor Mark Lapid (both allies of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo). He defeated Pineda by a narrow margin of 1,147 votes out of over 600,000 votes cast.[9]
Governor of Pampanga (2007–2010)
editPanlilio was inaugurated as the 26th governor of Pampanga on June 30, 2007. Supreme Court Associate Justice Consuelo Ynares-Santiago administered the oath of office. During the inauguration, Panlilio vowed to stop corruption and to make the province an example of a "new dawn in Philippine politics".[10][11] Among his key policy issues was the fight against illegal gambling, with Pampanga having been viewed as the country's major center of "jueteng" or illegal gambling.[12]
One of Panlilio's achievements in office was to increase the province's revenue from quarry taxes. It is suspected that under previous governors, notably Mark Lapid and Lito Lapid, the large quarry industry was riddled with corruption and graft.[13][14] The increased tax base led to fighting among mayors over the new revenue.[15]
On August 27, 2007, Panlilio campaigned to bring his government closer to the Kapampangans by leading the caravan "Pamisaupan (Helping One Another)". Panlilio and his team delivered aid to San Luis Hospital. Panlilio further vowed to improve the facilities and conditions in the province's nine district hospitals including the Diosdado Macapagal Provincial Hospital from funds (P143-million development fund) and private groups' contributions.The capitol's P37-million special education fund (SEF) would be utilized for the SEFs of towns.[16]
Panlilio launched the White Ribbon campaign on October 1, 2007, to engage the people of Pampanga to get involved in the crusade for good governance and good citizenship.[17]
On October 13, 2007, Panlilio admitted that a staff of Malacañang personally gave him a brown paper gift bag with 500,000 Philippine pesos (P1,000 bills in 5 bundles, P100,000 each). Panlilio confessed that money changed hands after the meeting "because as a priest and a public officer, I should not lie. I believe that since the money came from Malacanang, I also believe it is public money. So I should be accountable for it and transparent about it." The incident was said to have occurred after President Arroyo called a meeting with 200 officials who were members of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (Ulap), during which envelopes of P200,000 and P500,000 were allegedly distributed.[18]
On June 23, 2008, Panlilio filed a complaint for plunder against Lubao businessman Rodolfo "Bong" Pineda before the Ombudsman in Quezon City. He accused Pineda of conspiracy with Joseph Estrada, based on the verdict rendered by the Sandiganbayan.[19] The complain was supported by 60 Catholic bishops.[20]
Panlilio was also the subject of a corruption complaint filed against him in April 2008 by Vice Governor Joseller Guiao over his failure to implement a 2007 financial ordinance.[21] He was also the subject of a prayer rally in June 2009 led by 18 Pampanga mayors against him, during which he was accused of having an "autocratic style of governance" and poor performance in office.[22][23]
On June 24, 2008, lawyer Elly Pamatong filed a perjury criminal case with the COMELEC Legal Department against Panlilio for under-declaration of expenditures and contribution receipts.[24]
Recount petition and dismissal
editOn August 21, 2008, the non-profit organization Kapanalig at Kambilan Ning Memalen Pampanga Inc. (Kambilan), led by its president Rosve Henson, a former election campaigner of losing gubernatorial candidate Lilia Pineda, launched a recall campaign against Panlilio, on the ground of loss of confidence in the governor's leadership. In the case of Pampanga, the required petitioners must be at least 98,703 which represent 10% of the total number of registered voters in Pampanga as of April 20, 2007, the 2007 Philippine general election. This is based on the records of Commission on Elections, as required by Section 74, RA 7160, and COMELEC Resolution 7505, in relation to ARTICLE X, Sec. 3 and Section 74 of R.A. 7160, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE [1], as amended by Section 1, RA 9244.[2] Panlilio was the first Pampanga governor to face a recall.[25][26]
On October 15, 2008, a formal recall petition against Panlilio for loss of confidence was filed with COMELEC. 15,000 "Kambilan" petitioners delivered 168 boxes containing the 224,875 voters' signatures from 20 Pampanga towns and San Fernando.[27] In a 32-page petition, Panlilio moved to dismiss the recall petition.[28][29]
In February 2010, COMELEC ruled that Lilia Pineda had won the 2007 election.[1] As a result, it ordered Panlilio to step down from as governor, but he only stepped down after he lost to Pineda in the 2010 elections. His term ended on June 30, 2010.[30]
Post-governorship
editPanlilio ran once again as governor in the 2013 elections, but he lost once again to incumbent governor Lilia Pineda.[31]
Panlilio is running as vice-governor in the 2025 elections under the Liberal Party.[32]
References
edit- ^ a b Anna Valmero (February 11, 2010). "Pineda is Pampanga governor—Comelec". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on February 14, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
- ^ "Gov. Ed Panlilio is Inquirer's Filipino of the Year 2007". Philippine Daily Inquirer. January 13, 2008. Archived from the original on March 26, 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
- ^ "But is the priest really king?". The Varsitarian. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
- ^ "Priest-governor making Arroyo's life miserable". South China Morning Post. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
- ^ Gawad Kalinga takes Panlilio as partner in lifting poor Archived January 17, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "Priest Seeks Presidency; Prelates Note Canon Law: Philippine Faithful Divided Over Father Panlilio's Bid". Zenit. Innovative Media Inc. July 28, 2009. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
- ^ Morris, Caroline (2012). Parliamentary Elections, Representation and the Law. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781847319357. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
- ^ David, Randy (April 1, 2007). "(Last updated 01:01am Mla time) A priest in politics". INQUIRER.net. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007.
- ^ Orejas, Tonette (May 18, 2007). "(UPDATE 2) Catholic priest elected Pampanga governor". inquirer.net. Archived from the original on May 20, 2007. Retrieved June 1, 2007.
- ^ Orejas, Tonette (July 1, 2007). "Fr. Ed vows new dawn in politics = Philippine Daily Inquirer". Archived from the original on December 8, 2008.
- ^ Pascual, Federico (July 1, 2007). "Priest-governor's move against jueteng awaited = Philippine Star". The Philippine STAR. Archived from the original on September 26, 2007.
- ^ Ong, Christie (July 4, 2007). "Catholic Priest elected in the Philippines begins term as Governor = ChannelNews Asia".
- ^ Orejas, Tonette (July 16, 2007). "Panlilio to distribute half of quarry revenues to 13 towns = Inquirer.net". Archived from the original on July 4, 2009.
- ^ Orejas, Tonette (August 13, 2007). "28-day quarry income exceeds 2006 earnings = Inquirer.net". Archived from the original on February 22, 2008.
- ^ Inquirer.net, Board votes in favor of mayors vs Panlilio Archived October 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Inquirer.net, Panlilio brings government closer to people Archived July 4, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ SunStar, San Fernando: Capitol launches White Ribbon campaign (11:10 a.m.)
- ^ Inquirer.net, Saying he can't lie, Fr. Ed admits taking P500,000 Archived October 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ gmanews.tv, Pampanga gov files plunder case vs Bong Pineda
- ^ inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines, 69 bishops back Panlilio plunder case vs Bong Pineda Archived July 14, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ newsinfo.inquirer.net, Panlilio seeks dismissal of graft case over quarry ordinance Archived June 27, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ gmanews.tv, Pampanga mayors declare 'war' vs Governor Panlilio
- ^ abs-cbnnews.com, Pampanga mayors lambast Panlilio for alleged non-implementation of projects[permanent dead link]
- ^ sunstar.com.ph, Pampanga guv faces perjury Archived July 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ newsinfo.inquirer.net, Recall petition vs Among Ed started Archived September 14, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ gmanews.tv/story, Recall move vs Pampanga gov launched
- ^ newsinfo.inquirer, Recall petition filed vs Pampanga gov Archived October 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ ph.news.yahoo.com, Pampanga gov asks Comelec to junk recall petition against him[permanent dead link]
- ^ sunstar.com.ph, Panlilio seeks dismissal of recall petition Archived October 28, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Panlilio bares accomplishments in final report". SunStar. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
- ^ "Panlilio concedes defeat in Pampanga gubernatorial race". GMA News. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
- ^ "New positions, but still same families in Pampanga politics". Rappler. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
External links
edit- amonged.com - Fr. Ed Panlilio website
- sacop.org.ph - Social Action Centre of Pampanga (SACOP)