GUAGUA, Pampanga—As the Commission on Elections transported the 4,688 ballot boxes of Pampanga to its Manila office amid strong rains by Typhoon Kiko on Friday, Virginia Manuguid saw stormy days ahead in the province.
Not only did the transfer make inevitable the recount of votes in the May 2007 gubernatorial race, she said. It threatens to unseat or keep Gov. Eddie Panlilio, her bet, in power.
Whatever was the outcome, the 51-year-old housewife said she was sure of one thing from her end.
“Ekami memerait anyang pengampanya at binoto mi ya I Among (Father) Ed (We did not cheat when we campaigned and voted for Panlilio),” Manuguid quipped. “We didn’t have the means to do that,” she recalled.
That includes her relatives and neighbors in Betis, the parish that Panlilio served here before Archbishop Paciano Aniceto suspended him from priestly duties in March 2007.
Adriano David, 61, said he felt insulted by the recount. “I risked my life during the campaign so the youth in my town can have a good governor in Among Ed. We didn’t have guns, goons and gold. How can we cheat?” an aghast David remarked.
Banjo Serrano, president of the Archdiocesan Council of the Laity, said the recount is a “sad event in democracy-building in Pampanga.”
“We are being denied of that reality,” he said, referring to the “unity and courage” of the Kapampangans in the 2007 elections and how other groups from other provinces have asked them to share the template of electing good candidates despite lack of money and machineries.
“It’s very rare that provinces stand for good and moral governance. We made our stand. We voted according to our conscience and we’re standing up for the honest votes we made in 2007,” Serrano said.
Pastor Joy Pongco, mission keeper of the Pampanga Christian Ministers Council, said the recount is “undoing a miracle in Pampanga.”
“That was really a miracle coming from the hand of God because we won against all odds,” she said.
As the recount process rolled on the heels of the death of former President Corazon Aquino, Fr. Raul de los Santos wrote: “Di ko hahayaang sabihin, kahit pa ng Korte Suprema, na ang sagrado kong balota noong 2007 para kay Among Ed ay nabili, nandaya at kailangan usisain uli. Hindi para dito ang luha ko para kay Cory. Laban Pampanga!”
“Cory Aquino stands for democracy. People behind the recount are for pera (money)-cracy,” Fr. Marius Roque said, without naming names.
ELECTION FRAUD
Panlilio’s closest rival, former Provincial Board Member Lilia Pineda, sought a recount of votes through a case filed in July 2007.
In it, she alleged that Panlilio and his “cohorts” committed vote-buying, padding, shaving and use of fake ballots.
In February 2008, the Supreme Court granted a petition of Panlilio to stop the Commission on Elections from proceeding with the recount. On July 15, the High Court gave the Comelec the go-signal to start the recount, denying also on July 28 a motion of the governor to reverse the earlier ruling.
Not only did the transfer make inevitable the recount of votes in the May 2007 gubernatorial race, she said. It threatens to unseat or keep Gov. Eddie Panlilio, her bet, in power.
Whatever was the outcome, the 51-year-old housewife said she was sure of one thing from her end.
“Ekami memerait anyang pengampanya at binoto mi ya I Among (Father) Ed (We did not cheat when we campaigned and voted for Panlilio),” Manuguid quipped. “We didn’t have the means to do that,” she recalled.
That includes her relatives and neighbors in Betis, the parish that Panlilio served here before Archbishop Paciano Aniceto suspended him from priestly duties in March 2007.
Adriano David, 61, said he felt insulted by the recount. “I risked my life during the campaign so the youth in my town can have a good governor in Among Ed. We didn’t have guns, goons and gold. How can we cheat?” an aghast David remarked.
Banjo Serrano, president of the Archdiocesan Council of the Laity, said the recount is a “sad event in democracy-building in Pampanga.”
“We are being denied of that reality,” he said, referring to the “unity and courage” of the Kapampangans in the 2007 elections and how other groups from other provinces have asked them to share the template of electing good candidates despite lack of money and machineries.
“It’s very rare that provinces stand for good and moral governance. We made our stand. We voted according to our conscience and we’re standing up for the honest votes we made in 2007,” Serrano said.
Pastor Joy Pongco, mission keeper of the Pampanga Christian Ministers Council, said the recount is “undoing a miracle in Pampanga.”
“That was really a miracle coming from the hand of God because we won against all odds,” she said.
As the recount process rolled on the heels of the death of former President Corazon Aquino, Fr. Raul de los Santos wrote: “Di ko hahayaang sabihin, kahit pa ng Korte Suprema, na ang sagrado kong balota noong 2007 para kay Among Ed ay nabili, nandaya at kailangan usisain uli. Hindi para dito ang luha ko para kay Cory. Laban Pampanga!”
“Cory Aquino stands for democracy. People behind the recount are for pera (money)-cracy,” Fr. Marius Roque said, without naming names.
ELECTION FRAUD
Panlilio’s closest rival, former Provincial Board Member Lilia Pineda, sought a recount of votes through a case filed in July 2007.
In it, she alleged that Panlilio and his “cohorts” committed vote-buying, padding, shaving and use of fake ballots.
In February 2008, the Supreme Court granted a petition of Panlilio to stop the Commission on Elections from proceeding with the recount. On July 15, the High Court gave the Comelec the go-signal to start the recount, denying also on July 28 a motion of the governor to reverse the earlier ruling.
