DOJ-Comelec body presents 15 poll fraud witnesses

MANILA, Philippines - The joint panel of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) today presented 15 election officers from Maguindanao province, who will stand as witnesses to the alleged massive election fraud in 2007.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said that he will present later another witness, who has allegedly implicated in his affidavit former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the 2007 poll cheating operations.

Brillantes said that the witness have admitted to heading an operation to manipulate results of the 2007 senatorial elections in favor of candidates of the then Arroyo administration's ticket, Team Unity.

The poll chief said that the 15 municipal election officers are witnesses to the massive election cheating in 2007.

He said that based on the affidavits of the witnesses, the election returns canvassed at the provincial level in 2007 were doctored and prepared "elsewhere."

"They (original election returns from the municipal level) were taken away from them (municipal election officers) and prepared elsewhere," Brillantes said.

He said that the massive cheating resulted to the 12-0 win of Team Unity against opposition candidates under the Genuine Opposition ticket.

He said that doctored results from Maguindanao placed Ilocos Sur Gov. Chavit Singson in the No. 1 spot for senatorial candidates. Resigned senator Miguel Zubiri was part of Team Unity, while recently-installed Sen. Koko Pimentel was a member of the Genuine Opposition.