Saturday, August 16, 2008 Apu Ceto to guv, Balas Boys: Sit down and talk By Jovi T. De Leon
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Archbishop Paciano Aniceto on Thursday urged Governor Eddie Panlilio and the protesting Biyaya A Luluguran at Sisikapan (Balas) Boys to "sit down and discuss peacefully" and put an end to the bickering between them.
The influential prelate of one of Luzon's biggest archdioceses gave this "unsolicited advice" after meeting with administrators and volunteers of Domus Pastorum (Bale Pari) at Social Action Center of Pampanga (Sacop).
He also urged civil society groups and other sectors -- the latest of which is the Vice Mayors' League -- calling for his resignation and for Provincial Administrator Vivian Dabu's, to step down "to respect the governor's position as an elected official."
Recently, clamors for the priest-turned-governor to "act as governor and not as a lawyer for Dabu" were hurled at the governor by multi-sectoral groups after his decision to fire about 50 Balas Boys from their post and ordering Pampanga police director Keith Singian to disperse the group staging the protest that started last Sunday.
Aniceto said, "What is going on at Capitol has been alarming to both the clergy and political leaders."
He called on the governor and leaders of the Balas Boys to resolve the issues regarding last month's failed dialogue mediated by Fr. Deo Galang at the Sacop.
He appealed to civil society, saying to not give up and to "continue playing your very important role in this issue since it was you who brought Panlilio and Dabu to the capitol".
The archbishop said he has not received any communication yet from the governor, unlike "the several occasions after the election when Among Ed assumed the leadership, that he sought my advice on some issues."
