CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Archbishop Paciano Aniceto cast away his anger and gave empathy to Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio two days after the latter made definite his plan to leave the priesthood so he can run for president in 2010.
"This is the thing I dreaded most, na balaus na na (that he would go on with his plans). I shall wait for his request for dispensation. I will respect his decision," the 72-year-old bishop said when he returned calls late noon Wednesday.
But Aniceto was obviously still reluctant to let go of Panlilio whom he described as "one of my good priests."
"This politics over priesthood thing, in the order of grace, an ordination radically transforms a priest as a representative of the Lord," he said. "That becomes an indelible mark."
It should be of a reminder to Panlilio, he said, "to trust in laypersons because they are also capable of making sacrifices."
"The laity can equally transform society," Aniceto added. This was why the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, in the Year of the Two Hearts (Immaculate Heart of Mary and Sacred Heart of Jesus), the "laity are called to participate in social transformation."
Panlilio, 55, is seeking the country’s highest office, at a time the CBCP has declared June 2009 to June 2010 as also the Year of the Priests.
Ordained on Dec. 13, 1980, Panlilio was on the 27th year of his priesthood when Aniceto suspended his priestly faculties shortly after he ran and won as governor in 2007.
In the current issue, Aniceto said: "I will respect him but this is very, very sad. If he files a dispensation, I will be constrained to act on it."
The process will entail Aniceto to endorse the matter to the Papal Nuncio in the Philippines who, in turn, will refer it to the Congregation of Bishops in Rome before it reaches Pope Benedict XIV.
"Losing Among (Father) Ed will be very, very sad really. Eganaganang gewa nang mayap pota masayang (All the good he has done might go to naught). I want him to stay in the priesthood where he is an effective catalyst of change, a gift equally given by God," Aniceto said.
Panlilio said his seeking a dispensation will "calm the situation" in the Church that prohibits priests and nuns from being elected to public office in respect of the dictum of the separation of the Church and state.
DELUSION
Auxiliary Bishop Pablo Virgilio David commented however that Panlilio is in a "state of delusion."
"I can only pray for him. I think he’s in a state of delusion. I still hope he’ll see the light before it’s too late," David said on Tuesday.
David also said he was "very disappointed" with Panlilio, adding he was "no different" from President Macapagal-Arroyo who broke her own word about not running in 2004.
"I just wish he’d at least stop saying it’s all for the love of the priesthood. It begins to sound like a political campaign strategy," the 53-year-old prelate said.
"Perhaps if he had just quietly asked for dispensation, we would have just quietly respected his option. But he wants to have his cake and eat it too," added David.
David and Panlilio are known to belong to the socially progressive bloc in the Archdiocese of San Fernando, which has 140 clergymen. In the Marcos dictatorship era, both took cudgels for the poor, seen saying Masses for striking workers or farmers demanding for agrarian reform.
David, together with Auxiliary Bishop Roberto Mallari and Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, last talked to Panlilio a week before the Holy Week last April to discourage him from venturing further in politics.
On Aniceto’s reactions, Panlilio said, "I believe the context was if I remain in the priesthood, I should not be doing what I am doing now. But if I get a dispensation, because that’s what we agreed upon, that I was told it is my right to seek dispensation and whatever my decision is they will respect. I believe if and when I file for my dispensation I think this will calm the situation and this will explain to them what I intend to do."
