Dy scion claims victory in Isabela gubernatorial race

Faustino "Bojie" Dy III of the Dy political dynasty in Isabela has claimed victory over his closest rival, incumbent Governor Grace Padaca, in the province’s gubernatorial race. This, despite the May 13 tally of the Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC) covering 34 municipalities showing Padaca ahead with 263,902 votes compared to Dy’s 259,712. A separate tally by GMA News, meanwhile, showed that as of 4:27 p.m. Thursday, Dy (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) had 254,978 votes while Padaca (Liberal Party) had 249, 877. Dy admitted that he and Padaca are in “a very close fight" but added that he is confident that he would emerge as the winner. "Kami ay confident na makakakuha kami ng tamang number para sa election (I am confident that I have the majority of the votes in the elections)," he said. GMANews.TV tried but failed to reach Padaca for comment. In a phone interview, provincial administrator Paul Fernandez said this is "not the right time to talk to the governor." The PBOC in Isabela are only waiting for two more municipalities — Palanan and Angadan — to transmit their results to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) before proclaiming the winners in the gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial race. Problems on defective compact flash (CF) cards, meanwhile, continued to delay the canvassing of the election returns on Thursday. The CF cards provide instructions to automated poll machines on how to read a ballot and transmit election results to the municipal or city board of canvassers. Reprise The 2010 gubernatorial election in Isabela is reminiscent of the 2001 elections when Padaca, a radio commentator critical of the Dy dynasty, first challenged Dy, who was then mayor of Cauayan town. Padaca lost in that elections. Since then, the fight between Padaca and the Dy family has acquired dramatic color, especially in 2004 when she ended the Dy dynasty’s three-decade reign by beating then incumbent governor Faustino Dy Jr. Banking on her promise to reform province's transactional political system, Padaca retained her post in the 2007 polls, defeating Benjamin Dy, brother of Bojie Dy. Harassment? For this year, both camps are accusing each other of harassment. Dy said their people in Gamu town, whose mayor is allied to Padaca, are being "threatened." Padaca's assistant Bing Franco, on the other hand, accused Dy's camp of being "bent on getting proclaimed." She said the situation in Isabela was “tense" because the other camp was resorting to illegal means just to win the elections. Dy denied this, saying the situation in the province was normal except for some “minor" arguments between supporters of both camps. "Tahimik kami. Napakalungkot naman. Yung gulong binibintang sa amin, minor yung alitan ng supporters (We’re peaceful here. Nothing’s happening here but minor arguments between supporters. It’s sad that they’re blaming us for that)," said Dy in an interview Wednesday night. — KBK, GMANews.TV