ANGELES CITY—A priest, who has consistently fought the underworld operations of the illegal numbers game “jueteng,” could be overseeing government lotto soon.
Fr. Eddie Panlilio, former Pampanga governor, confirmed on Friday that he was offered a position in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) after Margarita Juico resigned as chair of the agency.
Panlilio, who was suspended from his priestly duties for entering politics in 2007, said the proposal to join the PCSO as chair or director in the board was “unofficially” relayed to him two weeks ago.
He declined to say who in the Aquino administration asked him to serve in the PCSO.
Panlilio serves as the titular head of the Liberal Party in Pampanga, with Pampanga Rep. Oscar Rodriguez as president.
Panlilio, 60, said he had not yet made any commitment on the offer.
“The terms of reference were not yet presented to me. I have to study them,” he told the Inquirer after he guested at a gathering of Capampangan in Media Inc. at Holy Angel University here.
Panlilio, also called Among Ed, shared updates on the poverty eradication programs of the microfinancing entity Talete King Panyulung Kapampangan Foundation Inc., which he heads as president and chair. “Among” is a local endearment for priests.
During his stint as governor, and after his term ended, Panlilio had been urging the PCSO to replace the illegal numbers game jueteng and Small Town Lottery with Loterya ng Bayan (PLB) to bring in more income to the national and local governments and to ensure gainful employment for collectors.
Under Juico, PLB never took off the ground, due to the long process of vetting operators and the review of the new game’s implementing rules and regulations.
Panlilio said he had asked Archbishop Paciano Aniceto to accept him back to the priesthood but the bishop was noncommittal.
“I hope to be reintegrated into the ministry,” said Panlilio whose priesthood counted 27 years mostly in poor parishes.
He celebrated his last Mass in March 2007 at Betis Church, which was his parish. He lost twice to Gov. Lilia Pineda, whose husband Bong is widely suspected of being the mastermind of jueteng operations, in the 2010 and 2013 elections.
Divine Word Seminary in Tagaytay City conferred on Panlilio the distinguished alumnus award in March this year in recognition of his role as co-founder of the good governance advocate Kaya Natin with the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo and former Isabela governor and now Commission on Elections Commissioner Grace Padaca.