‘Ermita’s reaction saddens me’

ILAGAN, Isabela — "My fight against jueteng is lonely enough."

Thus said Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca yesterday in reaction to the advice of Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita for her to do something against jueteng in her province instead of just announcing it to the media.

"If Secretary Eduardo Ermita was correctly quoted, I am saddened by his reaction. I hope I am not further discouraged by such statements," she said.

"Parang ako pa ngayon ang lumalabas na masama, ang nagsasalita lang at hindi gumagawa. Sana kumilos na ang mga unang dapat kumilos laban sa jueteng (It seems like I’m now the one at fault, the one who is just talking and not doing something. I hope those who are supposed to do something against jueteng should act now)," she added.

Padaca said she purposely went to Manila last week to seek immediate action from higher authorities who have the direct authority and mandate to help her in her "lonely battle" to rid her province of jueteng.

In a dialogue, she called on the Catholic Church and the Philippine National Police to help her, claiming that "uncooperative" mayors, some of whom are on the take, have stalled her anti-jueteng campaign.

Reacting to Padaca’s pronouncements, Ermita was quoted as saying that "as governor, she should do something about it and not just announce it to the media."

Padaca, a broadcaster-turned-politician, said she attended the dialogue not to make any jueteng exposes, but to get further support for her efforts against all forms of gambling, including jueteng, in her province.

"What is there left unsaid that is not yet known to many? Is it still shocking to hear of mayors and policemen who are on the take?" she said.

Padaca said she would not be swayed by the challenge of her critics for her to identify these mayors and police officials who receive payola from jueteng lords.

"What good will that do? So we can file charges against them in court? How long will the litigation take? In the meantime, while ‘innocent’ until proven guilty, jueteng operators and their beneficiaries will just go on with their illegal activities," she said.

Earlier, Alicia Mayor Napoleon Dy, president of the Isabela League of Municipalities, decried what he described as Padaca’s "indiscretion" in alleging that some mayors are coddling jueteng lords.

For his part, Dy’s brother, Isabela third district Rep. Faustino Dy III, dared Padaca to identify these local officials.

Padaca trounced the Dys’ brother, Faustino Jr., in the 2004 gubernatorial race.