Padaca expected to break ties in party-list accreditation

(Updated 2:56 p.m.) Newly appointed poll commissioner Grace Padaca will debut in the en banc sessions of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) with a special role – to break the ties on the six commissioners divided on the accreditation of several party-list groups.   Comelec chair Sixto Brillantes Jr. revealed that Padaca will settle nine cases that divided the commissioners three to three during the en banc hearings.   “Pinass on ko na lahat ng cases kay Padaca… We’re sending her the folders to break the tie,” Brillantes said, referring to the cases. Padaca, for her part, said she initially thought it was already too late for her to join the discussions on party-list accreditation. When she was appointed, Brillantes said she might not be able to attend hearings on the party-list accreditation. "When I came in, marami nang napagdesisyunan. Nasa phase na kami na pinipirmahan na ang resolutions," Padaca said Wednesday. "Usually I see no part dahil hindi ko na naabutan ang decisions nila."   Brillantes said they have until Wednesday next week to decide on cases.   However, Brillantes said Akbayan party-list – which is facing a disqualification case filed by militant groups – is not among the cases that divided the commissioners. Padaca said she has not yet seen if Akbayan's case is included among the cases from which she will have to break a tie. Akbayan has allied with the Liberal Party, of which Padaca was a former member, for next year's midterm elections. "What is in your mind is that the Liberal Party and Akbayan magkasama, magkasundo na. But in an organization, mayroon doon naman na hindi magkakasundo," Padaca said. Padaca, currently out on bail for a graft case she is facing before the Sandiganbayan, is a former radio broadcaster who was later on elected governor of Isabela province, ending the reign of the powerful Dy family in the province. The Comelec has so far disqualified three party-list groups with incumbent representatives in Congress and de-listed 74 registered groups that ran in the 2010 elections. — KBK, GMA News