The Deceitfully Ambitious Priest

For the elections 2007, there were three men of cloth who ventured into politics. The most known is Fr. Ed Panlilio of Pampanga. He's an alumnus of Saint Augustine Major Seminary, Tagaytay City. A very sensible man, he was for a long time assigned as social action director of their diocese. He was at the forefront during the Mt. Pinatubo devastation. He's the most known, because he won over the wife of a jueteng lord and the incumbent governor whose repute was besmirched by quarry anomalies. Now, he's the governor of Pampanga.
The second priest to run for public office was a certain monsignor from Zamboanga. Frankly, I knew nothing about this former Cathedral parish priest. they say.
The third comes from Mindoro Occidental. He is Fr. Ronilo Maat Omanio. He's from Rumbang, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro. Fifteen years in the ministry, he was assigned as Chancellor, Manager of DZVT -- a Church-owned radio station, and parish priest to the parishes of San Rafael (Abra de Ilog), St. Joseph (Central, San Jose) and Holy Cross (Sta Cruz).
It was the Holy Cross Parish that he deserted for his political ambition.
Take it from an insider. No one really had a hint of his political ambition. For how could one who is not known to have an inkling to socio-political actions suddenly file his certificate of candidacy beating the deadline last March 29, 2007? How could anyone suspect of his thinking when he's known to be a choreographer and never as ideologue?
Things can be presented clearer if we mention some events relative to March 29, 2007. In March 19-23, 2007, the clergy of AVSJ had their Lenten gathering. He was present. As he made it to appear, he was concern about an issue involving a lot/property in his parish (this issue is quite complicated that it begs for separate discussion). So, we were talking about the lot/property issue. In fact, the governor of the province was even invited -- who in turn asked the provincial assessor to join. For me, the significant occurence was as we were dismissed following the adjourment of the meeting, he hugged the governor and pledged his unwavering support to her: 'Nene, wag kang mag-alala; ako pa rin ang tagapagtanggol mo sa Sta. Cruz."
During the Lenten gathering of clergy, too, he asked that the bishop proceeds to Sta. Cruz for a dialogue allegedly with his officers of PPC and PFC. The bishop obliged and proceeded to the place on the 28th. As it turned out, Fr. Omanio wrote his communities and asked for delegates for the dialogue! He even provided them with free transportation. What was supposed to be a dialogue between the bishop and his consorts and the representatives of the faithful of the parish turned out to be a moment where the bishop was booed and embarassed. (I just do not know if the guy knew that he could have been removed from his post in the parish simply by what he caused the bishop...) During that dialogue, he tied the hands of the bishop by declaring that if the bishop decides against the property he's to leave the priesthood; but should the bishop decides for the property, he's to remain. The bishop promised to give his decision the following day.
Unknown to the bishop, on the 27th of March -- or a day before the dialogue -- Fr. Omanio already had his urine sample submitted to the laboratory as prerequisite for filing of candidacy! The sample was brought to San Jose by Board Member Gaudencio Espiritu... tsk!tsk!tsk! Talk of deceit, and this is a classic example.
On the 29th, the bishop conveyed his decision that he's deciding for the property. As per the condition of the ambitious priest, he's to remain. But at around 7pm, he proceeded to COMELEC-Mamburao to file his candidacy. He said he was running as an independent candidate. But, even before he filed his candidacy, an informant from COMELEC talked of a phone call from Jose Villarosa (JTV) -- our discredited politician, who's now in jail serving the double life terms he was given on account of the Quintos brothers murder -- giving an instruction to wait for "his priest-candidate".
Immediately he was suspended.
From the day one of the campaign, the ambitious priest is manifestly not prepared. He had no political agenda -- only political ambition, and all those perks that go with any political position. Actually, he had to resort to peddle lies instead of his plans for governance. His lies are too many to mention here (unless another separate discussion is devoted to it).
After the smoke had arisen to the sky, and the dusts settled on the ground, the victor was clear. Fr. Omanio was defeated by not less than 20,000 votes.
An oriental religion has its concept of karma... but I am a Catholic.