CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Employees of the Provincial Government (PB) prefer former Board Member Lilia Pineda over Governor Eddie Panlilio, said a top member of the PB.
Vice Governor Joseller Guiao also said if the gubernatorial election would be held today, Capitol employees will surely vote for Pineda.
“He will not win if mock elections are held now even among Capitol employees. Capitol employees have never felt this kind of administration that does not allow free flow of ideas and have relegated them as mere employees of government,” he said.
Guiao said he based his statement on the “feelings” of old time Capitol employees.
He said though Panlilio is advocating “good governance,” the priest-turned-governor would not even get a significant number of votes from more than 2,000 employees of the Capitol.
Guiao said Panlilio would lose the mock elections due to his seeming disregard for the status of employment, needs and feelings of Capitol employees.
He said the issue on the still unreleased extra cash gift would be one of the reasons for not voting Panlilio.
The vice governor said many Capitol employees have been removed from their posts and transferred to new assignments without even the courtesy of informing their superiors.
The transfer, he said, were allegedly made under the directive of Provincial Administrator Vivian Dabu and approved by Panlilio.
A department head told Sun.Star Pampanga that a handful of those still loyal to Panlilio are unsure whether to support Panlilio again in the coming elections or not.
Reached by phone Monday, Panlilio challenged Guiao to hold the mock elections to finally determine whom the Capitol employees would vote for.
“To say that I will lose is an unfair assessment. He should hold the mock elections and then we will see who will win,” the governor said.
Panlilio admitted that he “may have stepped on some toes” as he was implementing “a more professional administration,” making changes and removing bad habits at the Capitol.
He was able to remove bribery and professionalize the daily work habits of Capitol employees particularly on punctuality, the governor said.
“But to say that all of the Capitol employees are against me is unfair. There are those that are mad at me but there are also those who see the wisdom of our management,” Panlilio said.
“In fact I have never seen Guiao’s group participate in the flag ceremony or use the biometric system that monitors punctuality of employees,” he added.