ILAGAN, Isabela, Philippines – Despite her heartbreaking election loss, Gov. Grace Padaca declared that she would continue her crusade to rid the province of corruption and other illegal activities.
“I will continue fighting for you but I cannot do it all alone. You have also to help yourself. Be vigilant against those who will take advantage of you... those who have been undermining your rights and dignity,” said the 46-year-old Padaca, hours after her election defeat.
Padaca lost to now governor-elect three-term third district Rep. Faustino Dy III by a narrow margin – 274,557 votes against her 271,319 votes – derailing what could have been her third and final term as governor of this country’s third largest province.
Her loss brought the Dys back to the province’s top post, which the family had held for 34 years until one of its scions – then incumbent governor Faustino Dy Jr. – lost to Padaca via a huge margin of over 40,000 votes.
Padaca, who described the Dys’ reign as marred with corruption, patronage politics and illegal logging, repeated the same feat against another Dy scion, Benjamin Dy, himself a former three-term governor, whom she defeated in 2007 en route to her second term.
Padaca’s key allies also lost miserably in the May 10 polls, including her vice gubernatorial bet, second district Rep. Edwin Uy, who was defeated by Dy’s running mate, outgoing first district Rep. Rodito Albano.
Vice Gov. Ramon Reyes also lost in the race for the province’s third congressional district seat against Dy’s brother, three-term Alicia town Mayor Napoleon Dy.
The three other congressional seats here were also won by the allies of Dy and Albano.
Mayoral bets identified with the Padaca-Uy camp only managed to grab nine of Isabela’s 36 municipalities.
“I weep for Isabela. I’m a little glad for (myself as) I will now be able to sleep a little earlier, no longer overburdened by the pressures of being the governor,” Padaca said, trying to hold back tears.
“But it does not mean that I will be closing my eyes to the problems of my fellow Isabelinos,” added Padaca, a former hard-hitting broadcaster-turned-politician.