Recall move vs Panlilio now dead, says lawyer

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The recall petition against Gov. Eddie Panlilio is now “dead.”

Thus declared Panlilio’s lawyer, Romulo Macalintal, after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) issued last Thursday Resolution No. 8547 “suspending all actions on all recall petitions” due to lack of funds.

“The recall petition against Gov. Panlilio will die a natural death. As a matter of fact, dead na (it’s already dead),” Macalintal said in a text message to The STAR.

Macalintal also cited time constraints as another stumbling block to the recall petition against the governor.

The Local Government Code prohibits the holding of any recall election one year before the next regular elections in 2010 or starting May 10 next year.

Macalintal said the resolution stated that the Comelec has only P5 million and proposals for it to seek funds from other sources were “not favorably considered.”

“Thus, I believe that the recall petition against Panlilio is not only fatally defective, it also can no longer move,” Macalintal said.

The election lawyer expressed hope that this development “would lead to unity among leaders in Pampanga for the sake of the province.”

“The 2010 elections are just around the corner. Let that be the opportunity to test whether majority of Pampanga folk are really for the recall of Gov. Panlilio,” he said.

Pampanga Comelec supervisor Temmie Lambino estimated that some P24 million would be needed for a special gubernatorial election.

The recall petition, signed by some 220,000 Pampanga voters, was initiated by the Kapanalig at Kambilan de reng Memalen Pampanga (Kambilan).

Lambino confirmed it as valid in “form and substance” and submitted it to Comelec deputy executive director for operations Bartolome Sinocruz last Oct. 24.

It was in turn endorsed to the Comelec on the same day, but the poll body had no quorum then.

Kapanalig president Rosve Henson could not be reached for comment, but Vice Gov. Joseller Guiao described the Comelec resolution as “unfair.”

Guiao has supported the recall move and even bared plans to run for governor should a special election be held.

“I have not seen it (resolution) yet, but if it’s there, I don’t think it should apply to recall petitions that have already been almost completed, but only to recall petitions that have yet to be submitted to (the Comelec),” Guiao said.

Earlier, Comelec legal department chief Ferdinand Rafanan told The STAR that he also did not expect the recall move against Panlilio to take off despite its submission to the Comelec.

He echoed Macalintal’s view that lack of funds and time constraints would stall the move.

Rafanan cited a backlog of at least 50 electoral cases, including the recall petition against Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan.   – With Sheila Crisostomo