Padaca's brother files COC for Isabela governor

ILAGAN CITY, Isabela, Philippines – The younger brother of newly appointed Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner Grace Padaca has filed his candidacy for governor of Isabela against incumbent Gov. Faustino Dy III.

Marlo Angelo Padaca, 47, a political neophyte from Cauayan City, filed his candidacy as an independent minutes before the closing of the period for filing of certificates of candidacy (COC).

He listed his occupation as a salesman.

Others who filed their COCs for governor were Tony Aliangan of Angadanan town, businesswoman Lydia Mijares-Uy of Cordon town, and Glorietta Almazan of Cauayan City, all first time candidates and running as independents.

Gov. Dy is running for re-election under the Nationalist People’s Coalition.

A three-term congressman, Dy, 51, defeated Commissioner Padaca in the 2010 polls.

Dy’s win over Padaca was somehow a consolation for his elder brother who lost in an upset to Padaca in the 2004 polls, the first time the Dy clan lost the governorship, which they have held since the 1970s.

The Dy clan’s ally, incumbent Vice Gov. Rodito Albano, is running for the first district congressional post of his father, Rep. Rodolfo Albano Jr., who is, in turn, running for mayor of Cabagan town.

Rodito’s younger brother, former RPN-9 chief executive officer Tonypet Albano, is Dy’s runningmate for vice governor.

In the second district, former congressman Edwin Uy of the Liberal Party (LP) is running against incumbent Rep. Ana Go of the Nacionalista Party (NP).

Another Dy scion, third district Rep. Napoleon Dy, is being challenged by former congressman Ramon Reyes, who was Grace Padaca’s vice governor in her six-year incumbency as governor.

Uy, a former three-term congressman, was Padaca’s runningmate in the 2010 polls.

President Aquino appointed Padaca as commissioner of the Comelec, replacing Augusto Lagman who was not reappointed by Malacañang.

The appointment papers of Padaca, a former journalist, was dated Sept. 28. Padaca will have a seven-year term until Feb. 2, 2018 and her tenure will outlive Aquino’s presidency, which will end in June 2016.

She had posted a P70,000 bail in connection with a warrant of arrest that the Sandiganbayan issued against her over a multimillion-peso graft case.

Padaca is facing graft and malversation charges for her alleged role in the grant of a P25-million hybrid rice project in 2006 to a non-government organization that allegedly failed to account for the funds.

Meanwhile, Malacañang said Padaca should be given a chance to prove herself as a Comelec commissioner amid allegations that her being a member of the LP could affect her independence, following reports that her brother is running for Isabela governor.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said over radio dzRB that Padaca had said that she would resign from the LP if required to avoid suspicions.

“Let’s give her a chance to do her job,” Valte said.

The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) alleged that Padaca failed her first test of independence when she was accompanied by Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Manuel Roxas II when she posted bail for graft charges.

The bail bond was paid for by President Aquino.

Valte said there is nothing wrong if Roxas assisted her, being an LP member.

Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano asked the DILG why there seemed to be a double standard in the implementation of warrants of arrest against those perceived to be against the government and personalities enjoying the support of President Aquino. – With Christina Mendez, Aurea Calica, Raymund Catindig, Teddy Molina