Panlilio spent part of P.5-M cash gift, says former aide

MANILA, Philippines – Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio spent part of the P500,000 alleged bribe from Malacañang before coming out to denounce what he called an “illegal handout,” his former chief of staff claimed yesterday.

According to Archie Reyes, he personally received the P500,000 cash gift during a gathering of local officials in Malacañang on Oct. 11 last year.

Reyes, who resigned as chief of staff of Panlilio recently, claimed he had represented the Pampanga governor during the meeting where the cash gift was distributed.

Reyes told the weekly Balitaan sa Rembrandt Hotel in Quezon City that he gave all the money intact to Panlilio.

He disputed the claims of Panlilio that the money was intact when he exposed the illegal handout.

Reyes claimed part of the cash gift was spent in Tagaytay City where the governor stayed on a weekend.

“The money shown to the media was already polluted, it was not the same money distributed in Malacañang,” Reyes pointed out.

Reyes also disclosed efforts to hide the identity of Bulacan Gov. Joselito “Jun” Mendoza, the person who distributed the cash gift.

“He (Panlilio) was trying to protect the identity of Gov. Mendoza by describing him as the man in white long sleeves who gave him the money,” he said.

Panlilio, on the other hand, admitted spending part of the P500,000 cash gift but stressed the deduction was made arising from an urgent situation and the amount was immediately replenished.

Panlilio said the money was used for the expenses of his officials attending a three-day seminar in Tagaytay City.

He said “less than P20,000” was deducted from the cash gift and it was immediately replenished, with the whole amount placed under the custody of provincial administrator Vivian Dabu.

When he turned the money over to Dabu for safekeeping, Panlilio said he called for a press conference to expose the “payola.”

He has refused to spend it without any official confirmation as to its source.

Panlilio said he would continue to determine the source of the cash gift given to him through Reyes.

The alleged cash dole-outs in Malacañang were among the grounds of the latest impeachment complaint against President Arroyo.

Reyes, a former seminarian, said he couldn’t blame his former boss for the lapses.

He said Panlilio, being a priest turned governor, lacked the administrative skills in running the affairs of the provincial government.

“Gov is expert in Canon law because he a priest for the last 20 years but he has no background on local governance,” Reyes said.

Two other former employees, Roperlee Syquia and Fil Rodriguez, also echoed the observation of Reyes.

They said the provincial government of Pampanga is now in disarray due to the lack of experience of Panlilio.

Reyes though admitted the recall petition against Panlilio initiated by political opponents was ill advised.

To save the province from further mismanagement, Reyes said the best option is for Panlilio to step down and allow a more competent leader to run the affairs of the provincial government.

Panlilio, on the other hand, told reporters in Pampanga that he is ready to veto any resolution of the provincial board allocating funds for the recall elections.

Panlilio said he would exert all legal efforts to prevent the holding of the recall elections, such as questioning before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) the method of gathering the 220,000 signatures seeking his ouster.

Comelec Chairman Jose Melo earlier said the poll body would need an additional P40 million to finance the special gubernatorial elections in Pampanga.

Melo said the provincial government of Pampanga could provide the funding for the conduct of recall elections.

Panlilio said he is ready to veto any resolution of the provincial board allocating funds for the recall elections.

“The signature campaign was orchestrated by local government officials. Recall power is supposed to be a people’s initiative, without pressure from local officials,” he said.

Panlilio noted that during last Wednesday’s protest march highlighting the filing of the recall petition before the Comelec, some participants were on board vehicles with red license plates, indicating that some were local officials supporting the move to oust him.

Malacañang, meanwhile, has kept its distance from the recall petition against Panlilio.

With almost all of the local officials in Pampanga identified as allies of President Arroyo, a native of the province, it was immediately suspected that Malacañang is supporting the recall move against Panlilio.

Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said the issue is internal to Pampanga residents.

“From my understanding, the recall petition is something being done upon the signatures of his (Panlilio’s) constituency. We have nothing to do with the local constituency,” Dureza said.   – With Ding Cervantes, Marvin Sy