Padaca-Dy matchup still too close to call

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – There is still no clear winner between Liberal Party’s Gov. Grace Padaca, who is seeking a third term, and outgoing third district Rep. Faustino Dy III in the hotly contested gubernatorial race in Isabela.

As of press time, there was no clear winner yet in the matchup, although Dy, whose bid is being backed by the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, is leading Padaca by a slim margin.

Dy is trying to reclaim the Isabela governorship, which his family had held for more than three decades until Dy’s elder brother, then incumbent governor Faustino Dy Jr., lost to Padaca in 2004.

Based on partial reports, Dy garnered 242,082 votes against Padaca’s 240,556 or a margin of 1,526 votes. Isabela has at least 800,000 registered voters. 

Dy, however, declined to claim victory, expressing hope that the trend favoring him would be the actual result in the end.

“There are still several towns that still have to be counted. Let’s just wait for the official results. But I don’t think there will be any legal problems that will prevent my being eventually proclaimed as governor-elect,” he said.

For her part, Padaca said her rivals are withholding election results from some areas in the province.

“We won (by a big margin) in most towns, but they are withholding results from Cauayan (City) and the towns of Ilagan (the province’s capital), Angadanan and Alicia where we fear they will try to recover. May what’s true and right still prevail,” she said in a text message to The STAR.

Dy’s running mate, outgoing first district Rep. Rodito Albano, was comfortably ahead of Padaca’s vice gubernatorial bet Rep. Edwin Uy, 266,189 versus 195,693 votes. Uy could not be reached for comment.