AFTER six months of waiting, the fight for the gubernatorial seat in Pampanga will now be settled.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to promulgate at 2 p.m. Thursday the electoral protest filed by former Board Member Lilia Pineda against incumbent Governor Ed Panlilio.

Pineda accused the governor of massive cheating.

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The poll body began the recount proceedings in August of last year.

Second division's presiding commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer last month told reporters that he has already decided on the case and has written the resolution.

The promulgation, however, was delayed because the other second division members, Commissioners Lucenito Tagle and Elias Yusoph, needed sufficient time to review the decision.

“Of course, I want my fellow commissioner to review the 22,000-page decision,” said Ferrer.

When asked about the decision, Ferrer simply replied: “Surprise.”

Ferrer earlier said the poll body is concentrated only on the appreciation of ballots and not on the issue if either of the candidates committed cheating in the 2007 gubernatorial elections in Pampanga.

“(It is centered) in the appreciation. No one cheated. The provincial canvassers, they have their own appreciation. They go over their appreciation. It's not a matter of who cheated or if cheating occurred,” said Ferrer.

Panlilio and Pineda are set to face off again in the 2010 elections for the province's gubernatorial post.

In the 2007 gubernatorial race, Panlilio won over Pineda by only 1,147 votes.

The camp of Panlilio earlier expressed dismay over the recent rulings of the Comelec particularly the second division presided by commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer.

It can be recalled that the second division also proclaimed Roberto “Obet” Pagdanganan winning over Joselito Mendoza as governor of Bulacan and Benjamin Dy as the rightful winner of the gubernatorial seat in Isabela over Grace Padaca.

Panlilio, Padaca, and Mendoza are supporters and members of the Liberal Party (LP) of presidential aspirant Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)