‘God is calling me to run for president’ – Pampanga gov

Priest-turned-Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio on Tuesday declared “God is calling" him to seek the presidency next year, as he announced his intention to file his candidacy in late November even if it would mean leaving his religious vocation. Panlilio, who is on leave from priesthood, firmed up his presidential bid at the weekly forum organized by the Catholic Media Network in Intramuros, Manila, Tuesday afternoon. The 55-year old Panlilio previously shied away from a categorical statement he was running, saying that “the question is viability." “Well, yes that’s it," Panlilio later told GMANews.TV early Tuesday night in a phone interview. He added that he is set to ask formal dispensation from the church on November so he can file his certificate of candidacy (COC) on or before November 30. Panlilio explained that formal dispensation means that all the faculties of priesthood would be removed from him. “Ibig sabihin niyan hindi na ako pwedeng mag-misa, magbigay ng mga sacraments (This means I can no longer celebrate Mass and administer sacraments)," he said. Church Laws prohibit clerics from seeking public office.

Promising to attack corruption and review military relations with the United States, Panlilio has been calling on Filipinos to support his candidacy for president in next year’s elections. “There had been groups telling me to run for the presidency and I thought I would pray again. After a period of discernment, I said, yes, God is calling me to run for the presidency," Panlilio told reporters at the forum. Panlilio said that while he loves the Church, the public is in need of a leader who could give them good governance. Unlike other politicians, Panlilio said he has no political agenda, no business interest to protect, and no family to feed. “I can serve full time." He also expressed confidence that despite his meager experience of less than three years in local office, he could find ways to uplift the current state of the country. “When I decided to offer myself [as candidate] I felt at peace. I'm doing this not for me, not for myself. I felt God wanted me to go on a higher service," he said. Panlilio's announcement is expected to elicit criticism from his superiors, who had earlier told him to seek dispensation should he run again for public office. The Catholic Church relieved Panlilio of his priestly duties when he ran for governor in Pampanga in 2007. Panlilio cited love for the country as the reason he decided to finally run for the highest office in the land and leave the priesthood. “This priesthood that I love so much, I’m willing to give up for a greater love and that’s love for the country. For me the heart of priesthood is accepting the love of God and working for other people especially the poor," he said. If he becomes president, Panlilio said, among the country’s problems that he will address are lack of livelihood, malnutrition, corruption, hunger, and insurgency. On previous occasions, he has also promised to review military relations with the United States, including the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement, if he wins the presidency. “I call on all supporters of good governance and ethical leadership in the country to support this candidacy and campaign. I’m asking all the Kapampangans and all those who believe in me and in this campaign, let’s work together because this is for you," Panlilio said. In case he loses, Panlilio said he plans to go back to priesthood should his superiors accept him back. But Lingayen-Dagupan Bishop Oscar Cruz said once Panlilio is dispensed from the priesthood, he can never return. “Kung hindi nila ako tatanggapin, patuloy [pa rin] ako sa pagtulong ng tao. Kabilang ako sa NGO na tumutulong sa maliliit na negosyo (If they will not accept me I will still help the people. I am a member of an NGO that provides assistance to small businesses)," Panlilio said. Priests make bad presidents? Even if he wins the presidency in 2010, Panlilio may still be a shame to the Catholic Church, according to Archbishop Cruz. Cruz said priest-presidents in countries such as Haiti and Paraguay are now struggling with dissent over their management of their countries’ affairs. “Merong ibang bansa na nagkaroon ng paring presidente tulad ng Haiti at Paraguay, pero ang mga naging presidenteng pari maraming lumabas na mantsa, nasira ang kanilang pagkatao at talagang napahiya sila (Priests who became presidents in countries like Haiti and Paraguay had seen their reputations sullied and they were shamed)," Cruz said in a radio interview. In Haiti, former Catholic priest Jean-Bertrand Aristide became President briefly in 1991, prior to a September 1991 military coup. He became president again from 1994 to 1996 and from 2001 to 2004, but was ousted in a February 2004 rebellion where he claimed he was kidnapped by the United States military and forced into exile in South Africa. In Paraguay, former Catholic bishop Fernando Lugo became president after a successful campaign where he backed peasants’ claims for better land distribution. With the title “bishop of the poor," he won the presidential election on April 20, 2008, becoming Paraguay’s second leftist president. But last April 13, Lugo admitted fathering a child while he was still a Roman Catholic bishop. A second woman came out and claimed Lugo fathered one of her children in 2002 when he was still a Catholic bishop, but Lugo did not acknowledge the child. Cruz said Panlilio could face difficulties in his political campaign, with many Catholics divided over the priest's candidacy. “Hindi po karangalan yan sapagka’t sa Pampanga nahati ang Katoliko, nahati ang mga pari. Ngayon hati rin pati Ang Kapatiran, yan ang partidong Katoliko yan pero ayaw siyang kunin (Panlilio may not be the pride of Pampanga because even in the province, not all Catholics are behind him. Even the Ang Kapatiran party is not necessarily behind him, as it has not adopted him as its candidate)," he said. He also said that as a rule, members of the clergy are not cut out for government service. “Unang-una, hindi kami marunong mamahala ng gobyerno. Ano ba naman kami, marunong mangaral at magbigay ng payo, ng sakramento. Ano ba ang kaalaman namin sa pamamahala? Kani-kaniyang sigurong departamento, di pwedeng lahat alam ng isang tao (First of all, we priests are not knowledgeable on governance. We know how to preach and give advice, and administer the sacraments. What do we know about governance? Each person has his own specialty)," Cruz said. In 2007, Panlilio scored a narrow win in the gubernatorial race over Lilia Pineda, an ally of President Arroyo. Pineda questioned Panlilio's victory before the Supreme Court, which gave the green light for a recount of the votes in the Pampanga gubernatorial race. Panlilio served the Church for 26 years before he became governor of Pampanga. - GMANews.TV