Peping: Tarlac poll ‘fraud’ part of ‘grand conspiracy’

HACIENDA LUISITA, Tarlac — Former Rep. Jose "Peping" Cojuangco Jr. said the alleged "widespread, systematic fraud" and massive vote-buying that nearly wiped out the People Power Coalition in the province in the May 14 polls was part of a "grand conspiracy" hatched during the Estrada administration.

Cojuangco added the alleged systematic cheating was also not isolated to this province.

"This also happened in other provinces," he told more than 250 leaders of the PPC, which is composed of Lakas-NUCD-UMDP, Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), Liberal Party and Aksyon Demokratiko.

He said this could be seen in the general results of the synchronized national and local elections, which he described as "funny," despite the historic People Power 2 that brought down the Estrada government.

The gathering, aimed at drawing up post-election plans for the PPC, was even attended by a local faction of the opposition Puwersa ng Masa led by Tarlac City Mayor Gelacio Manalang, who lost in the gubernatorial race.

Manalang is the provincial chairman of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Third Force (Laban-Third Force).

Both the PPC, led by its losing gubernatorial bet, Vice Gov. Herminio Aquino, and Laban-Third Force have accused the Sama-Sama sa Tarlac (SST) party of Gov. Jose Yap Sr. of "masterminding" the "systematic massive disenfranchisement" of thousands of voters in the province.

Backing the SST is former Marcos crony Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco Jr., estranged cousin of former President Corazon Aquino and Peping, through his nephew, Tarlac first district Rep. Gilberto Teodoro Jr., head of the opposition Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).

Yap was proclaimed winner in the three-cornered gubernatorial race. Yap’s running mate, former board member Marcelino Aganon Jr., was declared the new vice governor.