Hearings set in Abalos poll sabotage case

MANILA, Philippines - Prosecution and defense lawyers agreed yesterday to a monthly hearing on the two counts of electoral sabotage against former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos.

During yesterday’s pre-trial conference at the Pasay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 112, the two sides set the hearings on Sept. 23, Oct. 14 and Nov. 25.

Defense lawyer Abraham Espejo said they will not present any evidence or witness to counter the allegations against his client. “It’s the prosecution that will prove their case,” he said.

Espejo earlier told The STAR that the prosecution has only one witness, lawyer Yogie Martirizar, against Abalos. He noted that Martirizar earlier denied that she was involved in the alleged cheating during the 2007 midterm elections.

Comelec lead prosecutor Ferdinand Rafanan declined to say how many witnesses they will present against Abalos.

Martirizar – a former North Cotabato election officer – was the subject of an investigation after the 2007 elections when the Comelec, then headed by Abalos, discovered discrepancies in the votes of the senatorial candidates in the province.

She went into hiding and surfaced in October 2010 and implicated Abalos in a statement, which was the basis of two counts of electoral sabotage filed against her and Abalos. She was later admitted as a state witness against the former Comelec chairman.

Another co-accused, Peter Reyes of the Intelligence Services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, remains at large.

Abalos was detained for several months at the Southern Police District but was later granted bail.