“God is calling me to run for president” — Gov. Ed Panlilio

21 July 2009
by Dona Pazzibugan
from Philippine Daily Inquirer

Manila, Philippines – Priest-turned Governor Eddie Panlilio on Tuesday (July 22, 2009) announced that he had decided to run for president in 2010.

Unlike other politicians, Fr. Panlilio said he has no political agenda, no business interest to protect, and no family to feed. “I can serve full time.”
“When I decided to offer myself (as a candidate) I felt at peace. I’m doing this not for me, not for myself. I felt God wanted me to go on higher service,” he said.

“The 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.
On a lighter note, when asked who would be his first lady should he be elected, Fr. Panlilio said: “I have no plan to get a wife. Maybe one of my sisters (can serve as first lady).

A priest who asked not to be named in deference to the position of the Church said, I trust his discernment and for all the criticism hurled at him, he can’t be accused of corruption. The priest also said he would vote for Fr. Panlilio for President.

The cancer of corruption in our country has reached an all-time high and unprecedented , and when brides and payoffs are expected as part of the culture, and when corrupt practices are tolerated - even endorsed- truth and justice are lost. Government officials accept money for their influence. Officials take away funding intended for the poor and hungry. Government appears to become more of a circus, in which propaganda reigns supreme. Government officials taking brides and perverting judicial decisions, when will the scourge end ?

Dishonesty and fraud at the top eventually spread to lower levels. Few seem to any longer believe that character does matter!

Corruption had reached such a high level that the “checks and balances” of self-policing written into the Philippine Constitution proved to be ineffective. Congress, the legislative branch, is paralyzed because of its own corruption and immoral behavior.. In effect, each branch had the other blackmailed into inaction !

Preference given to one group as a result of gifts or payoffs is unfair to others who have an interest in the influenced policy, funding or law. Honesty and integrity is overwhelmed by graft and corruption when such exchanges become commonplace. Corruption in business punishes honest men and women, and provides advantages - and wealth – to those willing to be the most dishonest and ruthless.

When the media (radio, newspapers, and television broadcast) becomes controlled and manipulated by political and financial gain and interests, they (major networks) are reduced as servants to corruption. We have seen these types of manipulation not only in major newspapers of the country but also right here in the Province of Pampanga. They work tirelessly to twist and spin news critical of the governor.. Photos are carefully selected to manipulate and mislead the public. Words are chosen to infuse emotions into events, and to turn evil into good and good into evil. We read and observed that the media “spin” always leans culturally toward amorality – and anyone who speaks out honestly in a moral tone, with authority, is vilified.

Corrupt behavior causes an entire nation to become spiritually sick, from the highest levels of government to those charged with enforcing its laws.

But there is hope . An independent and objective news media can sometimes correct and even prevent the abuses of the rich and powerful. Let us be prepared for the dawn of a new era but we must be willing to “march into the gates of hell for a heavenly cause.”
YOU must be the CHANGE you wish to see in the world. – - – Mahatma Gandhi

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” – - -Martin Luther King, Jr.

Penniless Priest for President

by Fr. Shay Cullen
from PREDA Foundation

Is he a priest, prophet or president-to-be? These are the questions that are surrounding the public announcement by Pampanga governor, Father Eddie Panlilio that he will seek the Presidency of the Philippines, “if the support is there”, says this penniless priest-on-leave turned politician. He won an extremely popular mandate as governor of Pampanga in 2007 in a phenomenal election that narrowly dethroned the bid of the powerful Pineda family clan, a close ally of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is also from the province. The defeated clan leader Lillia Pineda deposited four million pesos to the election commission as fee for a recount to unseat Governor Panlilio despite the fact that he has only 11 months left in office.

The decision of the highly-respected priest, known affectionally as “Among Ed”, who was suspended from his priestly duties as social action director of the San Fernando Archdiocese when he ran for governor, is very courageous. He entered the political arena as a means to bring the Church’s moral and social teaching to bear on the corrupt-ridden province.

”It was not a failing of Among Ed’s priestly ministry or that of the Church that allowed evil and abominable practices to prevail but because of corrupt unscrupulous politicians”, said a close supporter of the governor who asked not to be named for this article. He was referring to the politically approved and spread of the sex industry and illegal gambling. The city of San Fernando and Angeles city and surrounding towns are flooded with trafficked and prostituted women and children, some as young as 11 years old.

The widespread availability of child pornography, cyber sex dens and foreign sex tourists that are embraced and feted as economic saviors has shocked the good people of Pampanga. “They have turned our beautiful province into a Sodom and Gomorra, money is their God and Among Ed was the only one leading us to stand against it”, he said. They took a stand and elected Father Ed Panlilio as governor whose prized worldly possession is a 1999 model motorbike and an old battered car.

They were not to be disappointed. In his quite unruffled manner he eliminated corruption in the provincial tax collection office and in construction projects and poured the money into education, health and social welfare for the poor. This infuriated the entrenched political lackeys that ruled every town and village and got a share of the largest of the provincial treasury. Abandoned by police protection, pipe welding goons broke into his office in the capitol building and threatened to beat him and his staff to death. Supporters rushed to his side to protect him.

Following his announcement to run for president last 18 July, Archbishop Paciano Aniceto spoke of his deep disappointment and objection at these plans that will require the governor to apply for a dispensation from the priesthood. The archbishop told the media “He is drifting from his original priestly mission. A priest is a servant of the City of God, not of the city of man”.

The church has maintained a strict line of separation between Church and State although progressive bishops have spoken out on politically-sensitive issues such as corruption and social evils, the environmental destruction and irresponsible mining.

The church leaders have been rightly urging the Catholic laity to “evangelize politics” and to make Christian values and social teaching a driving force in national policy. What no one could foresee was that the laity have been taught to trust and respect the clergy so much and they depend on church leadership for so long, they couldn’t but choose a priest to lead them in that evangelical quest.

Are they to be chided or admired for electing this penniless priest and pushing him towards the presidency? This rare uncorrupted man of God who is free of debts to family or party, tycoons and multinationals, church or clergy or any earthly power, is a powerful attraction for many Filipinos that hunger and thirst for social justice and honest government. They want such a candidate to be president. He is the one candidate that is the nightmare of all the rest. END

Visit www.preda.org for more related articles.

Turning back to God is the true and real solution to the problems of the Philippines

Among Ed,

Thank you for being open to new windows or new ways of looking at what’s transpiring in our country. Forgive me if at times my zeal and enthusiasm make me sound all-knowing–rest assured that these ideas are shared in the spirit of humility and the desire to perform a servant’s role in efforts to help our country and people.

Allow me to share with you some PR proposals/observations from a former Jesuit novice/scholastic, former Samahang Demokratikong Kabataan-KM member and long-time PR/Advertising practitioner:

I. THE SPIRITUAL DIMENSION OF THE PHILIPPINES’ SOCIO-POLITICAL PROBLEMS.

As an exemplary Catholic priest you certainly understand better than any other Philippine politician that the root of the country’s problems are spiritual: the turning away from God. The manifestations are greed, immorality, corruption, injustices and all the other vices which ultimately produce social chaos, poverty and political instability. The true and real solution therefore is spiritual: the turning back to God. Unless, the Philippines turns back to God, we will never solve our problems.

Knowing this truth, you still decided to leave your spiritual duties temporarily because you also realize that prayer and spirituality must be accompanied by action. This was shown by Moses in the book of Exodus when God commanded Moses to send Joshua to do battle against Amalek with the sword while Moses raised his arm in prayer in prefiguration of the pose of crucifixion. The lesson being it is not enough to pray; we must also do battle. And we cannot win the battle without praying. The Cross and the Sword go together.

II. THE ROLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH/CBCP.

If the above is true, then the CBCP must mount a vigorous effort to make people understand that the solutions to the Philippines’ problems is to return to God. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS DENOUNCING THE POLITICAL PROBLEMS, THE CORRUPTION, ETC, BUT NOT DOING ENOUGH TO CONDEMN THE PERSONAL IMMORALITY OF MANY POLITICIANS AND OF THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES.

This covers the spiritual arena. In the arena of political action, I believe Among Ed or Kaya Natin should approach the CBCP or individual bishops who may be sympathetic about the possibility of Kaya Natin making a presentation to the CBCP Plenary towards the end of January about Kaya Natin’s position regarding the CBCP/Catholc Church’s role in the 2010 elections. I believe a strong argument can be made in favor of the proposition that the CBCP should actively and openly support Kaya Natin’s leaders whether as individuals or as a group in the coming 2010 elections. A sound historical and political analysis combined with arguments from the perspective of moral theology and the Church’s social teachings would I believe be convincing and persuasive enough to make the CBCP take heretofore unprecedented actions. Allow me to cite the example of Poland where the Church and Solidarity worked together to successfully bring down powerful Communist regimes in eastern and central Europe.

In Pampanga, Bishop Ambo can do so many things in the spiritual realm and in the political arena. A spiritual renewal and reevangelization campaign leading up to HOLY WEEK in Pampanga can be undertaken.

III. CENTRAL THEME OF PR/COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN IN PAMPANGA AND PHILIPPINES: GOOD VERSUS EVIL.

In Advertising/PR Campaigns we do for consumer products like toothpaste, soap, shampoo, etc, we try to focus all communication campaigns towards a CENTRAL THEME from which or to which all individual communications or information materials radiate. Some advertising agencies call the central theme by diffrerent names like THE UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION OR THE BIG PROMISE, etc. but the basic idea remains: to bring focus and impact to the campaign, the campaign must be united or framed by a central theme. I propose that the central theme of Among Ed’s campaign should be on GOOD VERSUS EVIL.

Good Governance can be relative or subjective and Among ED’s rivals can always cite failings or inadequacies or deficiencies in the area of Good Governance. That is playing the enemy’s game, a game where the enemy has options and possible arguments. But the game where the enemy is weakest and Among ED is strongest is the moral realm–and it’s something that the common ”tao” can easily understand and they can see with their own eyes.

In this context, the conflict is not between Among ED and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan but between Among ED and the jueteng lord of Pampanga, the personification of evil in Pampanga, Bong Pineda. Vice Governor Joseller Guiao and Board members and mayors allied with them are mere puppets doing the will of the personification of evil, Bong Pineda.

And even the protesting dismissed quarry workers are not abused oppressed workers but Pineda allies doing Pineda;s work. THE CHOICE IN PAMPANGA IS NOT BETWEEN WHO IS THE BETTER ADMINISTRATOR BUT BETWEEN SOMEBODY WHO REPRESENTS THE GOOD IN PAMPANGUENOS AND SOMEBODY WHO REPRESENTS EVERYTHING THAT IS BAD, DESPICABLE AND SHAMEFUL IN KAPAMPANGANS. IN THIS SENSE GOOD GOVERNANCE BECOMES A PROOF OR MANIFESTATION OF AMONG ED’S GOODNESS. THE CENTRAL THEME IS AMONG ED’S GOODNESS. GOOD GOVERNANCE IS SIMPLY THE PROOF. THIS PLAYS ON AMONG ED’S STRENGTH AND SPOTLIGHTS BONG PINEDA’S FATAL WEAKNESS.

Thank you for your kind consideration. I hope this helps.

In Christ,
Enri

The Evil Called Jueteng

by Among Ed Panlilio
Source: www.amonged.org

What is Jueteng?

Jueteng is a game of chance is the form of an illegal numbers game. It is fundamentally playing with numbers that is prohibited by law. There is a regular set of numbers which can be combined in so many ways as 'dreamt' 'interpreted' 'felt' – or in any similar way determined such as through simple 'kursonada' by the bettor. This then places money on his/her chosen numbers. The amount won depends on the amount of the bet made.

What is basically wrong with Jueteng?

There are very disturbing facts about it. 1. It is mostly poor people who play so their little money is gambled away. 2. There are very few 'winners' compared to the thousands of bettors. 3. Only about 15% of every peso is given as prizes, with the remaining 85% remaining the portion mostly destined for the pockets of the Jueteng operators. 4. The numbers which win are drawn with neither fixed nor regulated norms, but with deceit or misdeed, if not determined simply through the mental choice of the operators. 5. The criminal syndication of this supposedly 'lowly' game of the poor and simple tao is now in the hands of hierarchically organized operators.

Is Jueteng morally evil?

Yes, betting in Jueteng is morally evil for the following reasons, 1. Hard earned small amounts of money destined to sustain life are wasted in gambling. 2. little and continuous betting amounts to a large amount of money lost not only to the bettor but to their families. This can cause bitter domestic quarrels and lead to broken families. 3. Playing Jueteng which could have started as a little pastime or a matter of curiosity becomes a vice which is sinful.

Does Jueteng offer anything good in return?

No. Regular betting in Jueteng is a waste of hard earned and much needed money. We work, we sweat, we earn to support our families, send children to school and set aside some money for the future.

Jueteng as with any gambling does not generate wealth but sucks in money from the hands of the gullible. Jueteng does not really provide 'work' to its collectors ('cobradores') heads ('cabos') and others involved.Jueteng results in indulgent and indolent living for those at the top and does not involve real work that is hard, honest and decent. In the eyes of hard working people there is no honor in being a gambling lord, a Jueteng purveyor or aficionados

How widespread is Jueteng?

In 1992 the Bishops of Northen Luzon wrote a joint pastoral letter about Jueteng. In it they commented on the rampant and widespread proliferation of Jueteng from the cities and big towns to the barrios and sitios. They noted their concern that there was no place in their Region that was Jueteng free. What was true in Northern Luzon could not be false in other parts of the country – Luzon as a whole and the Visayas. In Mindanao another form of illegal game is played – 'Masiao'.

Why is Jueteng a social evil?

Jueteng which is widespread in its coverage, rampant in its operation and pervasive in its patronage is a serious social evil. It is illegal in itself, thus criminal in nature and disturbs peace and order in communities. The poor bettors become poorer while the wealthy operators – commonly known as 'gambling lords' become wealthier, more powerful, influential and thus more corrupt and corrupting.

What are the evils arising from Jueteng?

The evils of Jueteng do not arise simply because it is evil. It is evil because it gives rise to the following 1. It helps to destroy the moral imperative of industry and gives rise to the vice of indolence. 2. It promotes the mentality of chance and the culture of dependence. 3. It manipulates the poor, encouraging them to part with their money, luring them with quick returns. 4. it offers bad example to youth who at an early age can be enticed to gambling. 5. It contributes to corruption among public officials for their silence and police authorities for their protection. 6. It deceives people by appearing as a small but innocent pastime of people – hiding the fact that it is a well organized big syndicate from local to regional to national level.7. It is also deceptive in presenting itself as a benevolent and helpful donor – giving money to charitable institutions including church projects.

How does Jueteng promote graft and corruption?

Graft means payoffs, bribes, hush money and the like with one final aim to make public officials and /or police authorities act exactly counter to their sworn duties and obligations. This in turn leads to their corruption. For its continued existence, continuity and territorial expansion Jueteng uses money to promote graft and corruption in public offices, such offices which should be public trusts thus become public liabilities.

Besides promoting graft and corruption what other negative social effects does Jueteng have in society?

Jueteng does not promote peace and order. It breeds goons. It provides guns. It buys people. It promotes stealing and dishonesty. It feeds avarice and greed. It sucks in fortunes. It degrades people. It destroys families.

Jueteng does not bring economic prosperity to people. Those who prosper from it are the purveyors and their cohorts, corrupt public officals and authorities. Jueteng is a source of shame and dishonor to the community where it is played. It is a big liability to the country where it thrives.

Jueteng does not produce industrious and productive people, nor a proud nation. Illegal numbers games are a sign of weak and indolent people and a corrupt and dependent country. Where illegality is practically the rule, criminality and injustice are the order of the day blocking off the hope of a promising future.

Can Jueteng be eradicated?

Yes, but only if public officials and police authorities wish this to happen.

What can the community do to eradicate Jueteng?

They can cooperate with and support public officials and police authorities who are determined to do away with this social plague.

What can individuals do to eradicate Jueteng?

Primarily, individuals can help by not placing their bets. Without bettors, jueteng cannot prosper.

(PAGC - Pampanga Anti-Gambling Council, Inc.)