A 2nd term for Panlilio as Pampanga gov looks bleak

TARLAC CITY — Priest-turned-governor Ed Panlilio has lost the hotly-contested gubernatorial race in Pampanga, if partial and unofficial results of the May 10 elections are any indication of the final outcome. According to GMA Network's partial and unofficial tally as of 4:52 a.m. Tuesday, Panlilio's rival Lilia Pineda is ahead by over 200,000 votes after garnering 426,900 votes. Panlilio received 210,603 votes. Another contender, Ricardo Ocampo Sr., got 8,377 votes. The figures were culled from 68.56 percent of the total election returns (ERs). Panlilio ran under the Liberal Party, while Pineda, a known close ally of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, ran under the administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD. Calls to Panlilio on Tuesday morning were not answered, but on Monday night before majority of the ERs were tallied, Panlilio told GMANews.TV in an interview in Pampanga that he was considering returning to the priesthood if he loses the race. "I will apply back," he said. "Ang naging mission ko kasi is to strengthen the civil society's engagement in governance." Before he ran for governor as an independent candidate in 2007, Panlilio was the parish priest of Betis in Guagua town. He is perceived to have ushered in a new brand of politics, with his victory ending the Lapids' hold on the post. Senator Manuel "Lito" Lapid was Pampanga governor from 1995-2004. His son Mark succeeded him and served for one term before losing to Panlilio. The 2007 results showed Panlilio winning over Pineda by 1,147 votes. But on May 25, 2007, Pineda filed an election protest against Panlilio. Days before the May 10 polls, the Commission on Elections upheld its earlier February ruling unseating Panlilio as Pampanga governor in favor of Pineda. [See: Comelec sustains decision unseating Panlilio as gov] It was not known immediately if Panliliio made true his vow to appeal the Comelec ruling before the Supreme Court. — RSJ/LBG, GMANews.TV