SC dismisses petition vs Padaca

The Supreme Court has dismissed the petition filed by losing Isabela gubernatorial candidate Faustino Dy Jr. against the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for proclaiming Maria Gracia Cielo Padaca as the winner in the gubernatorial race in the province in the last elections.

In its one-page resolution dated June 15, the SC dismissed Dy’s petition for being premature.

"The court resolved to dismiss the petition for being premature as no motion for reconsideration has been filed with the Commission on election en banc, and there are no sufficient allegations to bring the case within the recognized exceptions," the SC said.

Dy filed the petition before the SC shortly after the first division of the Comelec lifted its temporary restraining order on Padaca’s proclamation. The poll body said the canvass was already finished and Padaca won by more than 40,000 votes against Dy.

Padaca, a small woman who walks with the aid of crutches, was proclaimed as Isabela governor last June 14, ending the 40-year political dynasty the Dy family had established in the province.

Padaca garnered a total of 242,995 votes, defeating four other candidates, including Dy, who got 198,703 votes, but legal maneuverings of Dy’s legal counsels delayed her proclamation for over a month.

Dy’s family accused Padaca of conniving with the communist rebels New People’s Army (NPA) to terrorize the people to vote for her.

But Padaca, a consistent honor student from grade school to college, said she got the support of the people because she was the only one who had the guts to challenge the Dy dynasty in the province. — Eva Visperas