Former priest Crisanto dela Cruz and Fr. Eddie Panlilio filed their certificates of candidacy before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Zamboanga City and in San Fernando City, Pampanga yesterday.
Dela Cruz will be running against Mayor Celso Lobregat, who, like him, belongs to the pro-administration Team Unity.
Before resigning, Dela Cruz celebrated Mass at the St. Joseph Parish Church, which is beside the home of Lobregat in Zamboanga City.
Dela Cruz vowed to change the local administration which he believes was a reason for the city’s snail-paced development.
On the other hand, Lobregat sees a 20-0 victory in his favor following the contract for change under his administration’s 17-point development agenda.
Identified by two different colors, the camp of Lobregat under the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) hoisted the color red, while Dela Cruz of the Nuevo Zamboanga-Kampi waved the color yellow.
In San Fernando City, Pampanga, Auxiliary Bishop Roberto Mallari, the Archdiocese’s Commission on Clergy Affairs head, said yesterday Archbishop Paciano Aniceto is expected to decide today whether Panlilio can go on leave.
"We are still studying his (Fr. Panlilio’s) case," he said.
Mallari said Canon Law contains provisions that could allow priests to run for political posts under "extraordinary circumstances."
"If the allegations are true that (Gov. Mark) Lapid is involved in lahar sand quarrying controversies, and that (board member Lilia) Pineda has links with jueteng and the perception of Fr. Panlilio that corruption and illegal gambling are already corroding the people’s values, then the situation in the province could indeed be extraordinary," he said.
"Jueteng lords used to only support candidates, now they seem to be running." – Roel Pareño, Ding Cervantes