Filipijnen: governor elect priest admits romantic liason

The country's first Catholic priest to win an election for governor admitted having had a romantic liaison in the past, a local news magazine said.

"I have had my mistakes. Who does not?" Eddie Panlileo, now Governor of Pampanga, the hometown of President Gloria Arroyo, in central Luzon, told Newsbreak, when asked if he had broken his vow of celibacy as a priest.

In a confession before non-Catholic pastors of the Jesus is Lord Movement (JIL) who decided to support him when he ran for governor in the May 14 mid term polls, Panlileo categorically denied reports that he has sired children, Newsbreak said. With his admission, Panlileo would not be able to run the provincial government from a moral high ground, predicted a bishop in an interview with Newsbreak.

Relationships

"His past and present relationships would be among those who will take part in dividing the spoils," warned the bishop who requested anonymity.
About 43 out of 120 priests in Pampanga province were alleged to have secret families, said the bishop, adding that Panlileo's admission would only highlight the recurring problems of priests in Pampanga.

Furthermore, Catholic priests are "not trained for politics", said the bishop when asked if the influential Catholic Church would soon be a major source of new and alternative government leaders.

Noting that Panlileo's decision to join politics has divided the Catholic Church, the bishop said, "He is showing a bad example to his fellow priests that it is okay to abandon priestly vocation."

Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, Panlileo's superior, had prevented the priest from saying mass and hearing confessions when the latter ran for governor.