He is also the part-owner and consultant of DDC (Direct Data Capture) with business offices in the United Kingdom and New York, and Datahold in London.

He won during that year's election, defeating Sergio Apostol, a three-term congressman and then Presidential Legal Adviser.

The code aims to encourage investors to locate in Leyte with the salient feature of getting a 100% real property tax holiday for 5 years.

Petilla accepted the nomination of the ruling Lakas-CMD party as one of its candidates for Senator under TEAM Unity in the 2007 Philippine general election.

However, only days after he filed his candidacy, he withdrew his name from the coalition, with Boholano actor Cesar Montano acting as his replacement in the slate.