'Electoral fraud case vs GMA not rushed'

MANILA, Philippines - There was no rush in the filing of the electoral sabotage case against Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo even if it had been a priority among poll officials.

“Let us not take this in isolation, the case (against Arroyo) was prioritized for the reason that this is of national interest and there was an attempt to flee, but we did not rush in the sense that we did not study it – or that we railroaded it,” Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Augusto Lagman said yesterday.

Lagman noted that members of the Comelec had a long deliberation over the recommendation of the Comelec-Department of Justice (DOJ) panel before finally deciding on filing the case.

“We stayed in the office till 1 a.m. deliberating on the case, but even before that our lawyers were already studying the documents. So ‘rushed’ is not the proper word,” Lagman explained. He noted that the Comelec gave the camp of the former president the opportunity to file a motion, but they did not take any action.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez insisted that there was no political pressure on the Comelec to file charges against Arroyo. “There was no political pressure to prioritize the case. That is just another speculation,” Jimenez stressed.

He said he is confident there is a strong case against Arroyo and two other respondents – former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and former provincial elections supervisor Lintang Bedol.

He also explained that the Comelec filed the case before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in accordance with procedure provided for under the law. – Jose Rodel Clapano