CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Outgoing Gov. Eddie Panlilio said he is willing to help the provincial government under governor-elect Lilia Pineda.
While recognizing the victory of Pineda in the last May 10 automated polls, Panlilio, however, was not yielding to the verdict of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) declaring that Pineda was also the real winner in the 2007 elections.
This, he said, is the reason why he filed before the Supreme Court an appeal questioning the verdict of the Comelec en banc last May 4. The poll body’s decision also ordered Pineda to take over the gubernatorial post “immediately.”
Panlilio said his lawyers have also asked the High Court to prevent the immediate execution of the ouster order and allow the governor to finish his term up to June 30.
He said he is open to help the Pineda administration, saying he did not want Pineda to undergo the same experience he had during his three-year term. The provincial board has been at odds with him on various issues.
Meanwhile, Panlilio expressed hope that the Supreme Court would decide in his favor on the Comelec case, as he stressed that “what’s at stake here is the sovereignty of Kapampangans.”
The Comelec’s order was based on a recount of gubernatorial votes cast in the 2007 polls, as petitioned by Pineda. The counting was finished in September last year.
Panlilio has asked the court to consider that during the vote recount, some 2,469 ballots which cited him as either “Among” or “Ed” were not counted in his favor.
He also cited the failure of the Comelec to consider election returns still available from Mabalacat town, where fire razed half of the ballots cast in the 2007 polls, amid estimates he had some 2,500 more votes than Pineda in the town.
Panlilio was declared winner in 2007 after he got 1,147 votes more than Pineda. But the Comelec recount estimated that Pineda had won over Panlilio by 2,011 votes.
In the last May 10 elections, however, Pineda won with 488,521 votes as against Panlilio’s 242,367 voters.
While recognizing the victory of Pineda in the last May 10 automated polls, Panlilio, however, was not yielding to the verdict of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) declaring that Pineda was also the real winner in the 2007 elections.
This, he said, is the reason why he filed before the Supreme Court an appeal questioning the verdict of the Comelec en banc last May 4. The poll body’s decision also ordered Pineda to take over the gubernatorial post “immediately.”
Panlilio said his lawyers have also asked the High Court to prevent the immediate execution of the ouster order and allow the governor to finish his term up to June 30.
He said he is open to help the Pineda administration, saying he did not want Pineda to undergo the same experience he had during his three-year term. The provincial board has been at odds with him on various issues.
Meanwhile, Panlilio expressed hope that the Supreme Court would decide in his favor on the Comelec case, as he stressed that “what’s at stake here is the sovereignty of Kapampangans.”
The Comelec’s order was based on a recount of gubernatorial votes cast in the 2007 polls, as petitioned by Pineda. The counting was finished in September last year.
Panlilio has asked the court to consider that during the vote recount, some 2,469 ballots which cited him as either “Among” or “Ed” were not counted in his favor.
He also cited the failure of the Comelec to consider election returns still available from Mabalacat town, where fire razed half of the ballots cast in the 2007 polls, amid estimates he had some 2,500 more votes than Pineda in the town.
Panlilio was declared winner in 2007 after he got 1,147 votes more than Pineda. But the Comelec recount estimated that Pineda had won over Panlilio by 2,011 votes.
In the last May 10 elections, however, Pineda won with 488,521 votes as against Panlilio’s 242,367 voters.
