CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio said there is a “big probability” that he will drop his presidential plan and instead rally for Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to become the country’s next president.
“I’m thinking of not running. That’s a big probability. I want to support Noynoy because with so many presidentiables from the reform movements, it would do our country more good if there is just one reform candidate. This would be Noynoy,” Panlilio said in an interview here on Thursday.
The only son of slain opposition leader Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and the late former President Corazon Aquino can also unite the political opposition, the Catholic priest-turned-governor reckoned.
“We should be synergizing our forces,” he added, explaining that in supporting the unification efforts, he was being consistent with his earlier position that rallying behind a single candidate can increase that person’s chances of winning and put the reform agenda high up in government.
Panlilio said he will make his final decision after another round of consultations with Noynoy, his colleagues in the good governance and ethical movement Kaya Natin! and supporters in Pampanga and other parts of the country.
“The best interests of the Kapampangans and our fellow Filipinos should always guide our decisions,” he said.
According to him, the campaign that has been gathering signatures to convince Noynoy to run for president provides the Aquino heir a good pulse of the people’s sentiments.
While inclined to sacrifice his presidential bid for Noynoy, Panlilio has not yet firmed up his plan after his first term ends in June 2010.
Panlilio has cancelled several television guestings as well as two trips in London and the United States for events in Filipino communities there, indicating he might really drop his presidential bid.
“I’d like to concentrate more on my duties as governor and attend to the legal battle against the recount. The recount threatens to thwart the will of Kapampangans who fielded me as an alternative candidate and gave me the mandate to remove corruption in the capitol and make it a machinery for services. That’s what I’m trying to defend in the recount, not myself,” he said.
The recount of votes cast in the 2007 gubernatorial race was sought by Panlilio’s closest rival, Lilia Pineda.
Began by the Commission on Elections in Manila on August 12, the recount has enlivened the homegrown good governance crusade to return to the streets, to consolidate forces and scout for local candidates in next elections to keep traditional politicians out of Pampanga politics.
Panlilio is known to be helping lay leaders in forming the local slate down to the level of municipal councilors. San Fernando Archbishop Paciano Aniceto has encouraged the laity to “evangelize politics” by running for public positions or helping ensure a clean elections in 2010.
His supporters want him to seek reelection to sustain the gains of his first term or return to the priesthood to start a Church-based program that will assist in helping elected officials govern through a God-centered politics.
In Pampanga, reports reaching Punto Central Luzon also said that several members of the administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD in the province have been holding low-keyed consultations on the senator’s presidential chances.
Apparently, the racial affinity with Noynoy and the democratic legacies of his parents are brushing on the allies of President Macapagal-Arroyo. Ninoy is from Concepcion, Tarlac, which used to be part of Magalang, Pampanga. Cory is from Tarlac City, the center of 6,000-hectare Hacienda Luisita that straddles three Tarlac towns.
A source privy to the consultations declined to give details, only saying that so far, the results are “turning out to be good.”
“I’m thinking of not running. That’s a big probability. I want to support Noynoy because with so many presidentiables from the reform movements, it would do our country more good if there is just one reform candidate. This would be Noynoy,” Panlilio said in an interview here on Thursday.
The only son of slain opposition leader Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and the late former President Corazon Aquino can also unite the political opposition, the Catholic priest-turned-governor reckoned.
“We should be synergizing our forces,” he added, explaining that in supporting the unification efforts, he was being consistent with his earlier position that rallying behind a single candidate can increase that person’s chances of winning and put the reform agenda high up in government.
Panlilio said he will make his final decision after another round of consultations with Noynoy, his colleagues in the good governance and ethical movement Kaya Natin! and supporters in Pampanga and other parts of the country.
“The best interests of the Kapampangans and our fellow Filipinos should always guide our decisions,” he said.
According to him, the campaign that has been gathering signatures to convince Noynoy to run for president provides the Aquino heir a good pulse of the people’s sentiments.
While inclined to sacrifice his presidential bid for Noynoy, Panlilio has not yet firmed up his plan after his first term ends in June 2010.
Panlilio has cancelled several television guestings as well as two trips in London and the United States for events in Filipino communities there, indicating he might really drop his presidential bid.
“I’d like to concentrate more on my duties as governor and attend to the legal battle against the recount. The recount threatens to thwart the will of Kapampangans who fielded me as an alternative candidate and gave me the mandate to remove corruption in the capitol and make it a machinery for services. That’s what I’m trying to defend in the recount, not myself,” he said.
The recount of votes cast in the 2007 gubernatorial race was sought by Panlilio’s closest rival, Lilia Pineda.
Began by the Commission on Elections in Manila on August 12, the recount has enlivened the homegrown good governance crusade to return to the streets, to consolidate forces and scout for local candidates in next elections to keep traditional politicians out of Pampanga politics.
Panlilio is known to be helping lay leaders in forming the local slate down to the level of municipal councilors. San Fernando Archbishop Paciano Aniceto has encouraged the laity to “evangelize politics” by running for public positions or helping ensure a clean elections in 2010.
His supporters want him to seek reelection to sustain the gains of his first term or return to the priesthood to start a Church-based program that will assist in helping elected officials govern through a God-centered politics.
In Pampanga, reports reaching Punto Central Luzon also said that several members of the administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD in the province have been holding low-keyed consultations on the senator’s presidential chances.
Apparently, the racial affinity with Noynoy and the democratic legacies of his parents are brushing on the allies of President Macapagal-Arroyo. Ninoy is from Concepcion, Tarlac, which used to be part of Magalang, Pampanga. Cory is from Tarlac City, the center of 6,000-hectare Hacienda Luisita that straddles three Tarlac towns.
A source privy to the consultations declined to give details, only saying that so far, the results are “turning out to be good.”
