PAMPANGA auxiliary Bishop Roberto Mallari yesterday took up the cudgels for beleaguered Pampanga governor Eduardo "Among Ed" Panlilio, saying he was puzzled why the latter’s critics are relentless in their efforts to remove Panlilio when his performance has been better than his predecessors’.

In an interview over Church-run Radio Veritas, Mallari questioned the real motives of those pushing for the ouster of Panlilio who has been on leave as a Catholic priest since he won the election. "Iba yung they want to ask the governor to continue the reforms that they started. Hindi yung magko-complain ka kasi gusto mo siya alisin diyan. Kasi nakakatuwa nga na, ako personally, compared naman sa mga naging gobernador namin, aside sa sinasabi nilang bagito, si Among Ed is doing much, much better kaysa doon sa mga dati naming mga gobernador," Mallari said.

The prelate said he cannot understand the people, led by Vice Governor Joseller "Yeng" Guiao, who are making life difficult for Panlilio. "I’ve never seen him support Among Ed all the way. Mas tinitingnan nila yung mali na ginagawa na nangyayari... yung the fact that he knew na nangangapa pa yan. I feel na they are making things very difficult for (Panlilio)," Mallari said.

On Monday, a signature campaign was launched for Panlilio’s recall and for a recount of the ballots cast in the Pampanga gubernatorial polls. Despite their built-in advantage of incumbency and deep pockets, respectively, administration allies Mark Lapid and Lilia Pineda were both beaten by Panlilio. Guiao himself, whose father Bren was governor until soundly beaten by Lito Lapid, ran under the administration party in the last elections.

Mallari said the heat on Panlilio could be coming from Pineda’s camp – which has a pending petition at the Commission on Elections for a recount – or from those who had been stopped by the new governor from skimming millions of pesos in revenues from the quarrying business.