Cash flowed in Mindanao during 2004 polls

MANILA, Philippines - A former Shariah court judge and a lawyer today told the Senate that cash flowed during the 2004 presidential election to assure the victory of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

"I affirm the statement of Judge Moner," former judge Casan-Ali Limbona said during the Senate's first hearing on the alleged cheating during the 2004 elections, referring to fellow former Shariah court Judge Nagamura Moner.

Moner, who showed up as a surprise resource person during the Senate blue ribbon committee's police helicopters hearing, had testified that he was recruited by former first gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and former airport official Alfonso Cusi to supervise vote-rigging operations in Mindanao in 2004.

Limbona confirmed that Moner paid him to help in finding a way to reverse the results of the presidential election in Sultan Kudarat in favor of former President Arroyo.

He said that he contacted then Maguindanao provincial election supervisor Lintant Bedol, who at the time was being rumored to be transferred to Sultan Kudarat.

Limbona said that Bedol "agreed in principle" that he will work to rig the presidential election's result in Sultan Kudarat in favor of the former president. He said Bedol agreed that he will be paid P5 per vote lead.

Moner, who was also present in today's hearing, repeated his earlier testimony that it was Cusi who asked him to handle the vote-rigging operations in Mindanao. He said that during that time, he was allowed to use the helicopter, which was later sold to the Philippine National Police in 2009, allegedly owned by former first gentleman Arroyo.

The two former judges told the Senate that the deal did not push through because the results of the elections in Sultan Kudarat have been officially announced.

However, Limbona said that he believed that Bedol's promise to deliver vote leads for the former president was "complied with." He said that he was thinking that Bedol did not bother asking for the promised payment because he was approached by another election operator.

Limbona confirmed that Moner paid him P50,000 for playing his part.

In his testimony last month, Moner said he gave out P100,000 to P3 million in bribe money to the contacts, who were supposed to give the cash to the election officers who are in charge of precincts where Mrs. Arroyo was losing to the late Fernando Poe Jr.

He admitted during the hearing that he accepted a total of P1 million for helping Mrs. Arroyo win the 2004 presidential election.

'Assistant Santa Claus'

Also in his earlier testimony, Moner claimed that he paid several election officers to reverse the results of the presidential election in Lanao del Sur.

During today's hearing, lawyer Maulawi Calimba confirmed the claim. He admitted that he was the one who worked for Moner's meeting with at least 17 election officers in Lanao del Sur's capital city of Marawi on May 12, 2007, or two days after the casting of votes for the presidential elections.

Moner said that Calimba visited him in his house in Iligan City and informed him that former President Arroyo was losing "heavily" in Lanao del Sur.

He said that he immediately passed on the information to Cusi, who in turn, ordered him to find a way to reverse the results of the elections. 

"He (Cusi) told me to go to Marawi to see what can be done in Lanao del Sur. I told him that that will be expensive... and on that day, I was sent P100,000," Moner told the senators.

Moner said that he asked Calimba to find a way to contact election officers in the province.

Calimba, for his part, told the senators that he asked his brother, Macauro Calimba Jr., to help him and in "an instant" a gathering of at least 17 election officers was scheduled for the same day.

Calimba said that Moner, whom he descirbed as "Santa Claus", went to Marawi City in the afternoon of the same day and he witnessed the former judge distribute money to the election officers.

He admitted that he played "assistant to Santa Claus" and also distributed money to the election officers present at the meeting. He said that a local official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Lake Lanao water shed chief Barry Macaumbos also distributed money.

Calimba said that he willingly participated in the distribution of money as he was then conducting a study on the election process in Mindanao, particularly in his province.

"I have to do it, as a participant, in order to know why this election process cannot product good leaders in our country and in Lanao del Sur, in particular," he said.

Asked if he felt guilty for his role in the massive election chearing, he said: "I did not feel anything because my objective was to see, to feel, [know] actually what is the feeling of being an instant Santa Claus."

Comelec documents

Also present in today's hearing at the Senate were Bedol and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao regional election supervisor Rey Sumalipao.

At the start of the hearing, Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes made a surprise appearance at the committee hearing.

Brillantes said that even if he was not invited to attend the hearing, he decided to go to the Senate to turn over documents being kept by the Comelec regarding the alleged cheating in the 2004 presidential election.

"I came over precisely for the purpose of actually turning over to the committee, vital documents related to the 2004 elections, which would form part of the evidence showing the fraud and irregularities committed in the 2004 elections," the poll body's chief said.

He said that the documents may help the Senate determine "who are at fault in the 2004 elections."

The Senate probe was prompted by the resolutions filed by Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and is being jointly conducted by the blue ribbon and electoral reforms committee headed by senators Teofisto Guingona III and Koko Pimentel, respectively.

'Fantastic, incredible'

Cusi, meanwhile, read a statement during the hearing, categorically denying Moner's allegations.

"It is very clear that Moner's statements are baseless, unfounded and hearsay," he said, adding that the tales told by the former Shariah judge are "fantastic and incredible."

Cusi also cast doubt on Moner's credibility. He said Moner is known for his "flip-flopping testimonies."

Moner had said that he denied during the Senate’s investigation in 2005 his role in the massive election cheating as he was then afraid for his own security.

In today’s hearing, Moner assured Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who was also doubtful of his credibility, that he will no longer “flip-flop.”