Proclaim me, Padaca urges Comelec

BY JOAN CAPUNA

ILAGAN, Isabela -- Re-electionist Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca urged the Commission on Elections to direct it’s officials in the province to push through with her proclamation as winner, her lawyer said Thursday.

According to lawyer Liela de Lima, her client has been leading the gubernatorial race in Isabela against rival Benjamin Dy but has not been proclaimed until now.

De Lima said they were due to file the petition on Friday so that Comelec officials in Isabela would be compelled to declare Padaca the duly elected governor. Details however were not known as of presstime.

Padaca’s proclamation was suspended after Dy petitioned the Comelec to declare failure of elections in the towns of Echague, Ilagan and Tumauini.

Dy cited supposed errors and defects like missing thumb marks and defective seals in the election returns of these towns.

The ERs were set aside by the municipal board of canvassers, causing delays in the provincial canvassing – but only for the gubernatorial race.

De Lima said Padaca is leading Dy by more than 5,000 votes and that the figure does not include the votes cast in the three towms.

Had the ERs in the three towns been included, Padaca’s lead over Dy would even widen to 15,000 to 17,000 votes, she said.

De Lima said if there were questions on the ERs’ integrity, they should have not been canvassed and used as basis for the proclamation of winning candidates in other positions.