SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines – Liberal Party stalwart Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said yesterday President Aquino is set to announce tomorrow whether former governor Eddie Panlilio will be fielded by the LP as its candidate for governor in this province.
“Nothing final. We will know on Friday,” Abad said in a text message in reply to The STAR’s query on whether the President would back Panlilio for governor against incumbent Gov. Lilia Pineda.
Panlilio, a Catholic priest whose ministry was suspended by the Church hierarchy after he ran for Pampanga governor in 2007, neither confirmed nor denied that he was seeking the gubernatorial post again. He lost to Pineda in his reelection bid in 2010.
There are reports that Aquino would announce Panlilio’s role in next year’s polls during his scheduled visit to inaugurate the City College here tomorrow.