Padaca meets pro-Dy mayors, recall rumor fizzles out

ILAGAN, Isabela — The planned recall move against Gov. Grace Padaca fizzled out yesterday when she met the municipal mayors who backed the re-election bid of her defeated rival, former Gov. Faustino Dy Jr.

Of the 36 Isabela mayors (with one city mayor), 27 made a courtesy call to Padaca at the governor’s office. The group was led by Aurora Mayor William Uy, president of the League of Municipalities in the Philippines (LMP).

Uy, the most trusted mayor of Dy, said the nine mayors who were not present begged off from the meeting because of earlier commitments.

Alicia Mayor Napoleon Dy was present during the meeting while Cauayan City Mayor Caesar Dy was among those who failed to attend the courtesy call.

"The Isabela mayors fully support your administration. We can work together for the sake of our province and people," Uy said.

He added that politics should now be put aside "so that the provincial government and the local governments could work closely" even as he denied reports that he has been initiating a move to oust Padaca through a recall initiative.

"It was just a speculation. I deny that," he said.

Padaca and Vice Gov. Ramon Reyes were visibly elated by the presence of the mayors, majority of whom campaigned for Dy and former Vice Gov. Santiago Respicio.

"Their presence alone speaks a message — that they recognize me as their governor," Padaca told The STAR when asked for her reaction to the pro-Dy mayors’ courtesy call.

During her more than one hour meeting with the mayors, Padaca reiterated her anti-jueteng stance.

Dy said he respects Padaca’s stand on the issue although he said that there must be "better alternatives" for bet collectors to earn a living and support their family’s daily needs.

Cabatuan mayor Atanacio Dayrit said eradicating jueteng should start from the "higher ups" referring to the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), the two lead agencies in the campaign against the illegal numbers game.

Majority of the mayors, however, favor the legalization of jueteng, which Padaca also favors.

"I am for the legalization of jueteng," she said, explaining that its legalization will totally removed the so-called "payola" system.

"But its legalization is a long and tedious process because it has to go through legislation," the polio-stricken governor said adding that "until jueteng is not legalized it must be totally stopped in the province."