Palace eyeing Padaca in Senate ticket

ILAGAN, Isabela — The Arroyo administration is reportedly hell-bent on the inclusion of Gov. Grace Padaca in its senatorial "unity ticket."

President Arroyo’s close political ally here, Rep. Edwin Uy, provincial head of the administration’s Lakas-Christian, Muslim Democrats, confirmed yesterday that the Palace was, indeed, "seriously" considering Padaca in its 12-man senatorial lineup.

"The governor’s name has been included in the list as a possible candidate. She has been considered because of her (popularity)," Uy said.

Even some leaders of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), including its former head, Dagupan-Lingayen Archbishop Oscar Cruz, and Laoag (Ilocos Norte) Bishop Sergio Utleg were reportedly pushing Padaca to run for senator.

A one-time hard-hitting broadcast journalist, Padaca, who dislodged the Dy clan in the 2004 elections, herself confirmed to The STAR that a Malacañang official mentioned the offer to her last week.

If she decides to run for senator, Padaca could count on the more than one million registered voters in Cagayan Valley as well as those in other Northern Luzon provinces where she is also evidently popular.

The 42-year-old Padaca, who walks with the aid of crutches, could also count on the handicapped and women sectors for support.

But Padaca, who belongs to the Liberal Party faction of Sen. Franklin Drilon, a known critic of the Arroyo administration, said she has not changed her mind on running for reelection, although she said she was not totally closing the door to a Senate bid, especially if President Arroyo would personally make the offer to her.

"Before that call, I was not thinking about that at all. Now, I’m thinking of what to say in answer to the offer (especially if it would come from the President)," she said.

Although she was flattered by the fact that Malacañang was considering her in the unity ticket, Padaca said she could not afford to abandon her provincemates now.

"My response to the matter will have to be based, first, on my commitment to the people of Isabela to run again for the governorship. Definitely, whoever floated my name to Malacañang does not come from my party," she said.

Meanwhile, asked about the plan of former Gov. Faustino Dy Jr. to run against her to "regain the glory of Isabela," Padaca said he was free to do so, provided "(they) don’t mess around with the electoral process again."

"When I ran for governor in 2004, I ran so that the people of Isabela would regain their freedom from the domination of one family. And they gambled on me then, even when I had nothing to show," she said.

"Surely, at least now I have a track record on which they could base their votes. And I honestly believe that the people are still behind me," she added.

Last week, Dy’s younger brother, former governor Benjamin Dy, withdrew his certificate of candidacy for the governorship to pave the way for him to have a rematch with Padaca, who defeated him by over 40,000 votes in the 2004 elections.