Abalos' co-accused recants conspiracy story

MANILA, Philippines - After admitting last week that she was forced to sign and submit fake election documents, a co-accused in an electoral sabotage case recanted her testimony yesterday that she conspired with former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos during the 2007 midterm election.

“No, I did not,” lawyer Yogie Martirizar, former chairman of the North Cotabato Board of Canvassers, said during cross-examination by Abalos and his lawyer Abraham Espejo.

Martirizar also admitted that she never consulted the Comelec lawyer when she surfaced last October and that the supplemental affidavit which implicated Abalos was already prepared when she signed it.

The defense also tried to establish that despite the alleged instruction to ensure the 12-0 victory of senatorial candidates under Team Unity in North Cotabato province, the official results showed that opposition candidates got high votes.

Even party-list Biyaheng Pinoy, which was alleged to have won along with the senatorial slate of the previous administration, only received 83 votes.

“Despite the alleged threat you did not follow the 12-0 instruction?” Abalos asked.

During direct examination last week, she said that a man who claimed to be Abalos talked to her over the phone and told her to sign fake election results in the province.

Martirizar explained that she followed instructions and signed the documents because there was a gun pointed at her head.

She also admitted that she received cash assistance amounting to P2 million, which she used for her personal needs.

Abalos, who was allowed by Judge Jesus Mupas to argue his petition to fix bail in the two counts of electoral sabotage case filed against him, pointed out after grilling Martirizar, “There is no more case against me (because) the witness has already recanted her testimony.”

The former Comelec chairman also opposed the prosecution’s request for 15 days to submit evidence because it would only delay the resolution of his petition for bail.

Abalos cited that it only took the prosecution two days to find probable cause.

“I’m in jail (already), 15 days is too long,” Abalos said.

Mupas then asked the prosecution to shorten the time to present evidence to five days, after which the defense will submit their comment and bail petition for resolution.

Earlier, Abalos complained that the hearing of his bail petition has already turned into a full-blown trial.

He also insisted that Martirizar, now under the witness protection program, is not qualified to become a state witness because she admitted to being responsible in the tampering of votes.