"I HAVE TO BELIEVE IN MY OWN MESSAGE - NOTHING IS EVER IN VAIN

BANTAY PILIPINAS

May 18, 2010

"I HAVE TO BELIEVE IN MY OWN MESSAGE - NOTHING IS EVER IN VAIN

GOVERNOR GRACE PADACA

THE 2010 ELECTIONS IN ISABELA

MAY 18, 2010

IT IS TRUE THAT I ONCE SAID THAT THIS WOULD HAVE TO BE MY TOUGHEST FIGHT EVER FOR THE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS IN ISABELA.

FAUSTINO “BOJIE” DY IS NOT THE MOST FORMIDABLE OPPONENT AMONG THE DY BROTHERS, HE IS NOT THE MOST POPULAR , HE IS NOT THE MOST CAPABLE, BUT THEIR FAMILY IS AT THEIR MOST DESPERATE TO WIN THE ELECTIONS. SIX YEARS IS TOO LONG FOR THEM TO BE OUT OF THE CAPITOL AND THEY COULD NOT AFFORD TO BE WITHOUT POWER FOR THREE MORE YEARS. ON THE OTHER HAND, MY RUNNING MATE, 3-TERMER CONGRESSMAN EDWIN UY, AND I HOPED THAT IF WE DEFEAT THE DY AND ALBANO DYNASTIES IN THESE ELECTIONS, WE WOULD HAVE TOTALLY FREED OUR PROVINCE FROM THEIR TRANSACTIONAL, TRADITIONAL WAY OF POLITICS AND EVERYTHING IT REPRESENTS.

DY WAS PROCLAIMED WINNER BY A MARGIN OF 3,438 VOTES.

I GOT 271,319,

HE GOT 274,757.





I AM ACTUALLY SURPRISED THAT I EVEN HAD THIS MANY VOTES. DURING THE CAMPAIGN, I HAD THE FEELING THAT I WOULD NOT MAKE IT THIS TIME BECAUSE WHO COULD WIN AGAINST THEIR

MASSIVE VOTE BUYING

BLACK PROPAGANDA

INTIMIDATION/THREATS?



I WAS A BROADCASTER FOR 14 YEARS, A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL FOR 6 YEARS AND AN ISABELINO FOR 46 YEARS BUT ALL THE ILLEGAL, SHAMELESS, CRIMINAL ACTS THAT THE DY’S AND ALBANO’S DID IN THESE ELECTIONS I HAVE NOT SEEN EVEN FROM THEM. TOTALLY UNPRECEDENTED... THEY OUTDID THEMSELVES A HUNDRED TIMES OVER. CONGRESSMAN EDWIN UY AS WELL AS OTHER MORE VETERAN POLITICIANS AND OBSERVERS SAY THE SAME.



PEOPLE SAY THAT THE 3,438 VOTES BY WHICH BOJIE DY WON OVER ME IS TOO SMALL IT COULD HAVE BEEN OVERTURNED. IF ONLY I CAMPAIGNED A LITTLE HARDER, IF ONLY WE DID MORE TO NEUTRALIZE THEIR VOTE-BUYING, TERRORISM/INTIMIDATION AND BLACK PROPAGANDA, THE 3,000-MARGIN WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THAT DIFFICULT TO COVER.

I SAY, THOSE NUMBERS DO NOT MATTER. IT IS 3,000-PLUS BECAUSE IT WAS WHAT THEY NEEDED TO WIN THE ELECTIONS. IF THEY NEEDED 10,000-PLUS THEY COULD HAVE PRODUCED IT. IF THEY NEEDED 30,000-MORE VOTES TO WIN, THEN THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN WHAT THEY’D HAVE PRODUCED. THAT’S WHY, THE VOTES FROM CAUAYAN CITY (WHERE THE DYNASTY HAVE ALMOST TOTAL CONTROL OVER SYSTEMS, PROCEDURE AND EVEN PEOPLE) ARE ALWAYS AMONG THE LAST TO BE SUBMITTED FOR CANVASS. IN EVERY ELECTION, THEY’D WAIT UNTIL ALL VOTES HAVE COME IN, FIND OUT HOW MUCH THEY NEEDED TO OFFSET ANY MARGIN OVER THEM, THEN THAT WOULD BE PRODUCED FROM CAUAYAN VOTES. THIS YEAR, VOTES IN TOWNS WHERE THEIR CONTROL IS NEAR- ABSOLUTE, LIKE ANGADANAN AND ALICIA, WERE ALSO PUT ON STAND-BY. THEY MUST HAVE LEARNED THEIR LESSONS WELL IN THE 2007 ELECTIONS WHEN THE CAUAYAN VOTES WERE SUBMITTED MUCH TOO EARLY, HENCE THEY WERE NO LONGER ABLE TO COVER MY MARGIN OVER THEM IN THE LAST TOWN COUNTED, ILAGAN.

AN ANALYSIS OF THE AUDIT LOG OF THE PCOS MACHINES WOULD PROBABLY REVEAL DISCREPANCIES IN THE RECORDED ACTUAL NUMBER OF VOTERS WHO CAST THEIR VOTES AND THE NUMBER OF BALLOTS ENTERED INTO THE PCOS MACHINES AND COUNTED.

FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE DONE TO ENSURE VICTORY IN THE ELECTIONS, IT WAS VERY CLEAR TO EVERYONE THAT THE DY’S AND THE ALBANO’S WOULD NOT HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY BUT WIN. KAHIT BALIGTARIN NILA ANG MUNDO, HINDI SILA MAGPAPATALO.

THE ISSUE HERE IS NOT HOW MANY VOTES WE FAILED TO MUSTER TO BE DECLARED WINNER. IT IS HOW FAR THE DYNASTIES WOULD GO TO GET ANYBODY OUT OF THEIR WAY AS THEY SET OUT TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE CAPITOL AGAIN. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH DANNY BUENAFE OF ABS-CBN NEWS BUREAU IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CAMPAIGN PERIOD, I SAID THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME I SENSED THAT MY LIFE COULD BE IN DANGER, ONE THING THAT I NEVER FELT BEFORE.

THEY WERE GIVING OUT MONEY TO PEOPLE A FULL TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTIONS – IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, IN THE HOUSES OF THEIR ALLY MAYORS AND/OR BARANGAY CAPTAINS AND, IN SEVERAL INSTANCES, PERSONALLY BY BOJIE DY AND RODITO ALBANO(HIS RUNNING-MATE, THREE-TERM CONGRESSMAN) THEMSELVES. PEOPLE WOULD LINE UP EVEN IN THE NATIONAL HIGHWAYS AND THE POLICEMEN AND THE COMELEC WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEY ASK FOR AFFIDAVITS. THEY ASK FOR FORMAL COMPLAINTS. THEY EXPECT PEOPLE TO RECEIVE MONEY AND THEN COMPLAIN? AS EARLY AS DURING THE FIRST DAYS OF THE CAMPAIGN, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HOARDED IN TRUCKS AND BROUGHT TO BODEGAS, RESORTS OR PLACES IN ORDER TO BE GIVEN P200-P300 PESOS, HAD THEIR PHOTOS TAKEN, GIVEN ID’S AND INSTRUCTED TO PRESENT THESE LATER FOR THE SUCCEEDING INSTALLMENTS. ON ELECTION DAY, MANY OF THESE ID’S SURFACED (SPECIALLY IN REMOTE BARANGAYS WHERE WATCHERS OF OTHER PARTIES WERE PREVENTED FROM ENTERING THE POLLING PLACES) AND PRESENTED TO THE WATCHERS OF THE DYNASTIES. THEY WERE TOLD THESE ID’S WERE NEEDED FOR THEM TO BE ALLOWED TO VOTE. THE “BOUGHT” VOTERS CAME WITH COLOR-CODED SAMPLE BALLOTS, THE BETTER FOR THE DYNASTY WATCHERS TO SEE IF THEY DID AS INSTRUCTED. IN MANY BARANGAYS, PEOPLE RECEIVED MONEY NOT JUST ONCE OR TWICE BUT THRICE.

IN OUR MAY 1, 2010 DEBATE OVER BOMBO RADYO, I DIRECTLY ASKED BOJIE DY

“ DATI NANG ALAM DITO SA ISABELA NA SA GABI BAGO ANG ELEKSYON AY MAYROON KAYONG MGA TAONG GUMAGAPANG AT NAGPUPUNTA SA MGA BAHAY SA GABI PARA MAMIGAY NG PERA SA MGA BOTANTE. PERO NGAYON, DALAWANG LINGGO BAGO ANG HALALAN AY NAKAPAGBIGAY NA KAYO NANG WALANG PAKUNDANGAN, WALANG KAHIHIYAN. LAHAT NA LANG YATA NG TAONG MAKASALUBONG NIYO AY BINIBIGYAN NIYO NG PERA. SAAN GALING ANG PERA NIYO – KAY GMA O SA JUETENG NA NAMAN?” BOJIE, OF COURSE, DENIED THAT HE AND RODITO ALBANO WERE BUYING VOTES. THERE WAS SO MUCH MONEY BEING GIVEN OUT TO VOTERS. THOSE WHO WOULD NOT GO WHEN THE BARANGAY OFFICIALS WOULD CALL WOULD JUST THE SAME RECEIVE IN THEIR HOMES THEIR MONEY OR KILOS OF RICE. DURING THE LAST DAYS OF THE CAMPAIGN, THEY STILL HAD MONEY LEFT AND THEY WERE JUST GIVEN OUT LIKE THERE WERE NO TOMORROW. MONEY WAS BEING GIVEN OUT AS IF THEY WERE FLYERS.

MANY BARANGAY CAPTAINS DOWN TO BARANGAY TANODS THREW ALL SENSE OF PROPRIETY, CIVILITY AND LEGALITY TO THE WIND. THEY STUBBORNLY STAYED INSIDE THE PRECINCTS, INTIMIDATING THE PEOPLE WHO THEY ALREADY EARLIER WARNED AGAINST VOTING FOR THE DYNASTY OPPONENTS AND MORE SERIOUSLY, DIRECTLY CONFRONTING OUR LP WATCHERS. THESE ARE THE SAME BARANGAY PEOPLE WHO WERE EMPLOYED TO GIVE OUT MONEY TO THEIR BARANGAY CONSTITUENTS , THE SAME BARANGAY TANODS WHO EARLIER SET UP CHECKPOINTS TO PREVENT DYNASTY OPPONENTS AND VOLUNTEERS FROM PENETRATING THE BARANGAYS TO CAMPAIGN. THESE ARE THE SAME BARANGAY OFFICIALS WHO HAVE BEEN ISSUED FIREARMS DESPITE THE GUN BAN AND WHO USED THE SAME TO FIRE AT OUR VEHICLES AND AT OUR PEOPLE,INCLUDING LAWYERS AS IN ONE CASE IN ALICIA TOWN AND A METHODIST PASTOR AS IN THE CASE IN THE TOWN OF AURORA. THIS ATMOSPHERE HAS BEEN OBTAINING FOR SOME THREE WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTIONS. MAY 10, 2010 COULD HARDLY HAVE BEEN EXPECTED TO BE THE DAY FOR FREE, ORDERLY AND PEACEFUL ELECTIONS IN ISABELA.

THE STAGE WAS SET FOR THE ELECTIONS TO BE IN THE CONTROL OF THE DYNASTIES AS EARLY AS THE TIME WHEN DILG SECRETARY RONALDO PUNO AND PNP CHIEF JESUS VERZOSA NEVER GAVE IMPORTANCE TO OUR REPEATED CALLS OF CONCERN ON THE ASSIGNMENT OF COL JIMMY RIVERA AS PNP PROVINCIAL DIRECTOR OF ISABELA. I CAN EVEN SAY THAT RIVERA’S PRESENCE IN ISABELA IS A DELIBERATE MOVE TO ENSURE THAT THE DY’S AND THE ALBANO’S COULD DO ANYTHING THAT THEY NEEDED TO DO, SPECIALLY EMPLOYING VIOLENT MEANS, TO WIN THE ELECTIONS. I’VE SAID IT BEFORE AND I’LL SAY IT AGAIN, AS FAR AS ISABELA IS CONCERNED PNP GENERAL VERZOSA’S OPLAN “HOPE” FOR HONEST, ORDERLY AND PEACEFUL ELECTIONS IS A LOT OF BULL.

AUTOMATED ELECTIONS – A SUCCESS?

IN ISABELA, WE ALL WONDERED WHY OF ALL PROVINCES WE WERE INCLUDED IN THE LIST OF THOSE WHO WOULD HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE COMPACT FLASH CARDS TO ARRIVE. IN THE TOWN OF CAUAYAN ALONE WHICH IS THE BIGGEST STRONGHOLD OF THE DY-NASTY, 22 PCOS MACHINES WERE DEFECTIVE. WE DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS JUST A COINCIDENCE. WE LATER FOUND OUT THAT OF THE 30 PROVINCES WHERE THE CFC’S SUDDENLY NEEDED TO BE RECONFIGURED IN THE LAST THREE DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTIONS, 21 WERE WHERE THE INCUMBENT GOVERNORS/LEADERS ARE FROM THE LIBERAL PARTY.

AS A RESULT, BALLOTS WERE NOT FED TO THE MACHINES BY THE VOTERS THEMSELVES, AND CONSIDERING THE ATMOSPHERE OF FEAR AND INTIMIDATION ALREADY FELT IN THE BARANGAYS FOR WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTIONS, IT WAS EASY FOR BARANGAY OFFICIALS AND EVEN TEACHERS TO DO WHAT MUST HAVE BEEN TOLD THEM.

THERE WERE PRO-FORMA AFFIDAVITS WHICH BARANGAY OFFICIALS USED AS AUTHORITY IN SUPPOSEDLY ASSISTING DISABLED AND ILLITERATE VOTERS.

AND FOR ALL THESE THINGS THAT THE DYNASTIES HAVE DONE TO MAKE A SHAMELESS MOCKERY OF OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES, BOJIE DY CAN ONLY WIN OVER ME BY 3,438.

I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF I GOT ONLY ONE-FIFTH OR 20% OF HIS VOTE BUT NO, I GOT 49.46 % OF THE TOTAL VOTES, HE GOT 50% AND A NUISANCE CANDIDATE GOT .04%.

I STILL FEEL LIKE A BIG, BIG WINNER. IMAGINE, 271,319 ISABELINOS VOTED FOR ME EVEN IF THEY WERE TERRORIZED, EVEN IF THEIR TRUST IN ME WAS SHAKEN WITH ALL THE LIES SAID AGAINST ME, EVEN IF MANY OF THEM ADMITTED TO RECEIVING THE HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF PESOS OR KILOS OF RICE THAT THE DYNASTY PEOPLE GAVE TO THEM.

ALL IS NOT LOST IN WHAT WE SET OUT TO DO IN ISABELA WHEN I FIRST STOOD UP AGAINST THE DYNASTIES EVEN WITH MY POLIO-STRICKEN FEET. I AM PROUD OF MANY OF MY APO ISABELINOS WHO WITHSTOOD EVERYTHING TO STILL SHADE THE SPACE BEFORE MY NAME AS THEIR CHOICE FOR GOVERNOR.

LAST SATURDAY, MAY 15, A TRICYCLE DRIVER SAW A TARPAULIN CONGRATULATING BOJIE DY AND RODITO ALBANO WINNERS IN THE GUBERNATORIAL AND VICE-GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS IN ISABELA. HE THEN SAID TO A FOREIGNER WHO WAS TAKING A PHOTO OF THE TARP THAT HE, TOO, RECEIVED MONEY FROM DY AND ALBANO BUT STILL VOTED FOR GRACE PADACA AS GOVERNOR. HE SAID, THE DYNASTIES ONLY WON BECAUSE THEY USED MONEY TO BUY THE VOTES OF THE PEOPLE.

FOR A TRICYCLE DRIVER TO EXPRESS SUCH UNSOLICITED COMMENT OR PROVIDE SUCH INFORMATION, IN BROKEN ENGLISH, TO A FOREIGNER WITH A CAMERA, IS FOR ME, ENOUGH BALM TO RELIEVE MY WOUNDED HEART, ENOUGH TO KEEP ME FROM SHEDDING ONE MORE TEAR OR TWO AS I WEEP FOR ISABELA. NINE YEARS AGO, IN 2001, WHEN , AS AN ORDINARY ISABELINO, I FIRST SET OUT TO DO MY SHARE IN FREEING OUR PROVINCE FROM THE DYNASTIES, OUR PEOPLE COULD ONLY QUIETLY WATCH ME WHILE I BOLDLY CAMPAIGNED AGAINST THE DYNASTIES. I AM SURE THEY SAID SILENT PRAYERS FOR ME BUT MANY WOULD NOT DARE COME NEAR ME OR TALK OF SUPPORTING ME FOR FEAR THAT SOMEBODY MAY REPORT THEM TO THE POWERS-THAT-DY.

NOW, THIS IS 2010. DESPITE EVERY DESPERATE MEASURE EMPLOYED TO GET THEIR VOTES, MORE THAN 49% OF THE VOTERS STILL FOUGHT FOR ME. THE TRICYCLE DRIVER WILL BE ONE OF THE HAPPIEST PROOFS OF MY VICTORY – VICTORY THAT DOES NOT ONLY COME IN THE FORM OF HAVING YOUR ARMS RAISED AS ELECTION WINNER BUT VICTORY OF HAVING INSPIRED YOUR PEOPLE TO FIGHT AS BRAVELY AS YOU DO NO MATTER HOW TERRIFYING THE MONSTERS THAT WE ARE FIGHTING.

THERE ARE MANY MORE OF THEM WHO HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR FEELINGS, FEARS AND WORRIES ON THE FATE OF GRACE PADACA, GOVERNOR OF ISABELA, IN THE 2010 ELECTIONS. PLEASE LOG ON TO www.facebook.com search Governor Grace Padaca, see Notes.

THE DYNASTIES ARE BACK IN ISABELA, TOGETHER WITH MANY MORE MINI-DYNASTIES IN VARIOUS MUNICIPALITIES, ALL BECAUSE OF AUTOMATED ELECTIONS THAT ONLY FOCUSED ON THE CASTING AND COUNTING OF VOTES NOT IN THE OVER-ALL CONDUCT OF SANE ELECTIONS IN THE COUNTRY.

THREE YEARS AGO, AFTER I WON MY SECOND TERM AS GOVERNOR OF ISABELA (VERSUS ANOTHER OF THE DY BROTHERS, BENJAMIN), AND SEEING ONCE AGAIN, YES IN 2007, HOW THE ELECTORAL PROCESS HAS GOTTEN EVEN DIRTIER, HOW VOTE BUYING HAS BECOME EVEN WORSE, I WOULD TELL ANYONE WHO’D CARE TO LISTEN THAT WE SHOULD NOT WAIT UNTIL JUST THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE ELECTIONS TO CRAM AND DO OUR VOTER’S EDUCATION, TO ENCOURAGE VOLUNTEERS, TO GATHER OUR YOUNG COLLEGE STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE AND NOT JUST LEAVE THE POLLWATCHING TO A HANDFUL OF SACRIFICING CWL OR LEGION OF MARY MEMBERS OR MOTHER BUTLERS AND LET ELECTIONS BE DOMINATED BY THE WELL PAID MACHINERY OF TRADITIONAL POLITICIANS.

SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT BECAUSE I AM PHYSICALLY DISABLED, MY MAIN ADVOCACY IS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. OTHERS THINK THAT BECAUSE I AM A WOMAN, I ALWAYS HAVE WOMEN’S CONCERNS IN MIND OR BECAUSE AGRICULTURE IS MY FLAGSHIP PROGRAM IN ISABELA, IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO ME. BUT NO, THERE IS SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT BEYOND OUR OWN PERSONAL BELIEFS AND THAT IS THAT WE ELECT ONLY THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO LEAD US.

SANA, HUWAG NAMANG MASYADONG MABABAW ANG KALIGAYAHAN NATING MGA PILIPINO. YES, WITH AUTOMATED ELECTIONS, WE IMMEDIATELY CAME TO KNOW THE RESULTS IN TWO, THREE DAYS TIME. HOWEVER, WHAT DID IT DO? WHOLESALE, INSTANT, “PROGRAMMED” , RECONFIGURED” IRREGULARITIES THAT EASILY DID AWAY WITH THE TRUE WILL OF THE PEOPLE, NOT TO MENTION, THE UNPRECEDENTED VOTE BUYING, INTIMIDATION AND BLACK PROPAGANDA THAT IT ENCOURAGED AMONG CANDIDATES WHO STOPPED AT NOTHING TO SNATCH VICTORY SO THEY WILL ONCE AGAIN RULE OUR LANDS.



RIGHT NOW, EVEN IF IT’S DIFFICULT, I HAVE TO BELIEVE IN MY OWN MESSAGE ..... THAT NOTHING IS EVER USELESS. WE SHOULD NOT GET TIRED DOING GOOD. WE JUST HAVE TO GO ON. RESULTS MAY NOT COME SOON, RESULTS MAY NOT COME WHEN WE THINK WE NEED THEM OR IN THE FORM WE WANT THEM, BUT THEY WILL, WHEN GOD SAYS IT IS THE RIGHT TIME FOR THEM, PRESSED DOWN, SHAKEN TOGETHER, OVERFLOWING.

I WILL CONTINUE TO HELP FIGHTFOR WHAT IS RIGHT BECAUSE LIKE WHEN I FIRST RAN FOR THE ELECTIONS (EVEN IF I CAN HARDLY WALK) TO HELP FREE OUR PROVINCE ISABELA FROM THE DYNASTY, I STILL DO NOT WANT TO BE JUST ONE OF THOSE FEELING MAD ABOUT THE BAD THINGS HAPPENING IN SOCIETY BUT NOT LIFTING A FINGER AT ALL TO STOP THEM.

I AM WORKING WITH MY LAWYERS AS WE PREPARE TO FILE CASES BEFORE THE COMELEC. OUR GROUP, KAYA NATIN: A MOVEMENT FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ETHICAL LEADERSHIP, WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD OUR MESSAGE OF HOPE FOR MORE ISLANDS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY EVEN IF MOST OF US HAVE BEEN “PROGRAMMED, RECONFIGURED” TO BE AUTOMATICALLY DEFEATED.

WE CANNOT GIVE UP. WE WILL NOT GIVE UP. KAYA NATIN!