UNA vs LP on Padaca’s appointment

MANILA, Philippines – The friendly opposition is upset.

The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) of Vice-President Jejomar Binay, which vowed to be supportive of President Benigno Aquino III, is protesting the appointment of Grace Padaca to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Padaca is a member of the Liberal Party (LP) and she is expected to favor party allies, UNA secretary-general Toby Tiangco warned in a statement. He also questioned the government’s failure to implement an old warrant of arrest issued against Padaca in connection with charges of graft and malversation of public funds filed against her with the Sandiganbayan.

“The LP is starting to employ Arroyo tactics, which is not surprising since it is now dominated by former Arroyo allies. Kaya nga sabi nila na ang LP ay Lakas Pala,” Tiangco added. “Ito ba ang tuwid na daan? O sinisimulan nang baluktutin para sa Halalan?,” he added.

Tiangco said the government showed favoritism when Padaca was not arrested despite the warrant of arrest issued against her last May.

“Moral governance demands equal application of the law, and political allies are not exempt,” said Tiangco.

“She confirmed that she did not go into hiding, and likewise admitted that she did not want to post bail. Indeed, she was very visible in the past few months. Why did the DILG and PNP fail to exert any effort to serve the warrant,” Tiangco said.

Controversial appointment

Padaca’s appointment is controversial for many reasons.

She is, after all, a member of the LP. She has a pending graft charge. And she ran — but lost — in the 2010 elections.

Section 1 of Article IX of the 1987 Constitution states: “There shall be a Commission on Elections composed of a Chairman and six Commissioners who shall be natural-born citizens of the Philippines and, at the time of their appointment, at least thirty-five years of age, holders of a college degree, and must not have been candidates for any elective positions in the immediately preceding elections.”

But Malacañang defended her appointment as constitutional because the last elections held in the country, it stressed, was the October 2010 barangay elections.

President Aquino stood by his appointment. He said Padaca is qualified to become Comelec commissioner because of her experience as a victim of poll cheating. Padaca filed an electoral protest against Isabela Gov Faustino Dy III after the May 2010 elections.

PNoy: She’s not guilty of graft

The President, who paid for Padaca’s P70,000-bail, also said he doesn’t believe that she is guilty of the graft charges filed against her.

“Ako po ay hindi naniniwala na guilty siya doon sa sinasabi. Pagkaintindi ko, dati yung mga magsasaka doon sa kanilang lalawigan ay ang inuutangan ay umaabot ng mga 30 percent. Gumawa siya ng paraan para magkaroon ng uutangan na one-and-a-half percent ho yata. Mukhang nakatulong doon sa mga kababayan nila,” Aquino told reporters Friday.

But Tiangco said it was inappropriate for LP president-on-leave and Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II to accompany Padaca when she posted her bail.

“Comelec commissioner Grace Padaca failed her first test of independence when she posted her bail before the Sandiganbayan last Thursday accompanied by LP President on leave and DILG Secretary Mar Roxas,” said UNA secretary general Navotas City Rep Toby Tiangco.

LP is expected to field Roxas against Binay in the 2016 presidential elections.

“Her subsequent statement extolling the personal qualities of DILG Secretary Roxas sounded like a campaign speech,” said Tiangco.

“Commissioner Padaca’s position in the LP hierarchy and her ties with Secretary Roxas, coupled with her actions and her statements issued to the public last Thursday, hardly reassures the public of her independence,” Tiangco added.

In interviews, Padaca vowed she will be independent. – Rappler.com