Grace Padaca wonders why LP quickly allied with Dy

Former Isabela Governor Grace Padaca on Thursday said she didn't believe the Liberal Party had a hand in the recent filing of a case against her before the Sandiganbayan, but admitted that she was no longer expecting any help from the party to which she once belonged.

“In fairness to the LP, I don’t think they had a hand in the timing of the filing of the case,” Padaca told reporters in a chance interview after her deferred arraignment before the Sandiganbayan Second Division.

Padaca is facing four counts of violation of Section 8 of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees for her alleged failure to file her SALNS for years 2007 to 2010.

Under RA 6713, “all government officials and employees are mandated to submit their SALNs stating the required information on or before April 30 of every year."

But while she cleared the LP of any possible involvement in what she described as a “faster than normal” filing of the case, Padaca admitted that she was no longer expecting any support from the party, whether in her legal battle or in 2016 elections.

“Wala pa namang chance na kailangan ko na dapat ma-feel [ang support ng LP]. But frankly, I do not expect na. If they have their sights somehwere, maybe they think they have a bigger war to wage. I'll give that to them,” Padaca said.

Asked to elaborate, Padaca candidly said that LP’s standard-bearer Mar Roxas seemed to have already formed an alliance with her political rival, incumbent Isabela Gov. Faustino “Bojie” Dy III.

“Presidential candidate Mar Roxas has been openly going quite often to Isabela with the Dys na ang kanyang kasama. Hindi ko alam kung mababago pa yun. It’s their choice, dahil incumbent siguro [si Dy],” Padaca said.

Padaca used to be with the LP when she ran for re-election as Isabela governor in 2010 but was defeated by Dy.

Padaca was then appointed by Pres. Benigno Aquino III as a commissioner of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in October 2012 and served there until June 2014.

Last month, Padaca filed her certificate of candidacy as an independent to reclaim seat as governor of Isabela in 2016 elections.

She will go against Dy who is seeking his third term.

Padaca said that while it was understandable for the LP not to support her in 2016 elections given that she had not returned to the party since after her term in the Comelec, she still finds it odd that the she was not even asked about her political plans.

“There were no signs coming from me na makikita nila that I was still interested in running. Maybe ang kulang, hindi ako natanong. But maybe because they concluded that I was not interested [in running] anymore,” Padaca said

“My only question is the ease by which they could ally with people who are not known to be Daang Matuwid [advocates]. Yun lang ang question ko,” Padaca added.

Dy has Isabela's mandate —LP exec

Sought for comment, LP vice chairman for political affairs Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice said Padaca should not hold it against Roxas for entering into an alliance with Dy as the latter clearly has the “mandate of the people” of the province.

“She cannot deny the fact that Gov. Dy have the mandate of the people of Isabela and it is unthinkable that Mar Roxas or any other candidate would refuse the support of an incumbent governor,” Erice told GMA News Online.

Erice said Padaca had not signified to the party her intention to run for governor in 2016 and thus must not expect its support.

“[Former] Governor Grace have not indicated anything to the LP any of her political plans," Erice said.

"As an advocate of Daang Matuwid, she should have at first instance signified her support to Secretary Mar. But she chose to be silent until today,” he added.

Padaca: I filed SALNs

Meanwhile, Padaca maintained that she was innocent of the charges filed against her.

“I’m always been submitting my SALNs. And even my closest staff in the capitol have been religiously submitting their SALNs, but when we checked with the Ombudsman it was not relayed, hindi pinasa. So, hindi lang ako ang nawawala ng SALN,” Padaca said.

Padaca also questioned the timing of the filing of the case before the Sandiganbayan which coincided with the week of filing of certificate of candidacy (COC) with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on October 12 to 16.

The case against Padaca was filed by the Ombudsman on October 13.

“Ang ipinagtataka ko ay yung timing [of the filing of the case], which is during the filing of COC. Saka medyo mabilis ang pangyayari, parang mas mabilis sa normal,” Padaca said. —NB, GMA News