This early, Dy cohorts ‘plotting’ Padaca recall

AURORA, Isabela — Even before governor-elect Grace Padaca can officially be proclaimed today, political cohorts of Gov. Faustino Dy Jr. are rumored to be plotting for her removal in office through a recall petition.

Pursuant to the 1991 Local Government Code, a recall is a process to expel a local elective official even before his or her term expires for loss of confidence.

Held not earlier than one year from the official’s assumption into office, a recall petition can be initiated by at least 25 percent of the total number of registered voters in the official’s locality or by a majority of the preparatory recall assembly (PRA).

Sought for comment about this, Padaca seemed unfazed. "It’s too early to do that. They should know the law," she said, adding that she considers the rumored recall plot a non-issue.

Aurora Mayor William Uy, president of the League of Municipalities in the Philippines (LMP)-Isabela chapter, was the one alleged to be initiating the move to convene the PRA composed of all mayors, vice mayors and Sangguniang Bayan members of Isabela’s 35 municipalities and component city, Cauayan, hometown of the Dys and Padaca.

Padaca, a former broadcaster and a polio victim, is scheduled to be proclaimed this morning at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) central office in Manila after the poll body’s first division lifted the temporary restraining order for Padaca’s proclamation which it issued more than two weeks ago.

Dy has sought Padaca’s disqualification alleging that she connived with the New People’s Army in terrorizing Isabela voters. He vowed to fight his case all the way to the Supreme Court.

Padaca led Dy by more than 40,000 and 20,000 votes in the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) count and the Comelec canvassing, respectively.

Dy, national chairman and chief executive officer of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), got support from 34 mayors, while Padaca had only two mayors — Fernando Gumicad and Renato Candido of Gamu and Dinapigue towns, respectively — behind her.

Majority of the vice mayors and members of town councils elected in the recent polls were official candidates of the NPC.

Although he refused to comment on the recall issue, Uy, considered as Dy’s closest political ally, said the move would depend on the decision of the LMP’s provincial chapter.

"No comment ako diyan pero bahala nang magdesisyon ang mayors (I have no comment on that issue but it’s up to the mayors to decide)," Uy said in a chance interview.

Meanwhile, Alicia Mayor Napoleon Dy, younger full-blood brother of Gov. Dy, might be thrust at the helm of the LMP-Isabela chapter as the municipal mayors unanimously preferred him to be the next president of the organization.

The LMP-Isabela chapter will elect its new set of officers on the first week of July.

Angadanan mayor-elect Jose Panganiban, a close buddy of Mayor Dy, said, "It will just be a matter of time before Mayor Dy will assume the presidency of the league."

For his part, Mayor Dy did not deny his eagerness to lead the LMP-Isabela chapter even as he openly admitted that he might "try his luck" in case the recall move against Padaca pushes through.

"Malaya naman ang kahit sino na kumandidato. Bahala na ang mga mamamayan na pumili (Anybody is free to file his candidacy. It’s up to the people to choose who they want)," Dy said.

Scheduled to be proclaimed along with the 40-year-old Padaca are his running mate, former Rep. Ramon Reyes, as vice governor-elect, and the members of the new provincial board.

Also to be proclaimed are Isabela’s four congressmen-elect: comebacking Rep. Rodito Albano (first district), re-electionist Reps. Edwin Uy (second district) and Faustino Dy III (third district), and Santiago City councilor Anthony Miranda (fourth district).