P’panga church leaders want alternative gov bet

SAN FERNANDO, Pam-panga – Catholic Church leaders, led by Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, and civil society groups in this province have been reportedly searching for a third gubernatorial candidate to be pitted against incumbent Gov. Mark Lapid of Lakas-CMD and provincial board member Lilia Pineda of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi).

Local businessman Rene Romero, owner of the Romac Group of Companies, confirmed that the religious leaders tried to persuade him to run but he balked at the idea.

"The priests are saying that a choice between two evils is not a choice at all," he said.

He was apparently alluding to allegations against Lapid of anomalies in the collection of lahar sand quarrying fees and the involvement in jueteng of Pineda’s husband, Rodolfo "Bong" Pineda, who was tagged as a big-time gambling lord during the impeachment trial of former President Joseph Estrada.

Romero said the Church leaders gave him up to last Thursday night to decide on their proposal, which was broached to him five weeks ago.

He said he begged off from running for governor in a meeting with Aniceto, Auxiliary Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, Social Action Center of Pampanga director Fr. Deogracias Galang, Fr. Restie Lumanlan, and other religious and civil society leaders Thursday night.

Also in the shortlist were former National Economic Development Authority director-general Dante Canlas and Manila North Tollways Corp. president Jose de Jesus. De Jesus, however, said he was not interested in politics.