PnM asks Comelec to probe ‘padded’ votes

The opposition party Puwersa ng Masa (PnM) sought yesterday an immediate inquiry into the allegations of Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Luzviminda Tancangco that some 530,932 votes were padded to favor Sen. Ralph Recto, an administration candidate, in the May 14 senatorial polls.

In a statement, lawyer Rufus Rodriguez, PnM counsel, urged the Comelec, acting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), to investigate Tancangco’s allegations.

Tancangco, in her dissenting opinion in cases filed by Sen. Luisa Ejercito, questioned the 180,000 votes credited to Recto in Zamboanga del Norte, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte.

She said that while the number of registered voters recorded by the poll body’s Election and Barangay Affairs Division totaled only 36,611,362 as of May 5 or nine days before the elections, the Records and Statistics Division recorded 37,110,966 registered voters during the canvassing.

Rodriguez questioned the increase of 530,932 registered voters when there was no more voter registration during the nine-day period.

He said Tancangco’s allegation about the 530,932 padded votes in Recto’s favor bolsters suspicions that votes for certain senatorial candidates were padded too, resulting in an unusually big number of votes for them.

Rodriguez, in a five-page motion for investigation, asked the NBOC to immediately convene to investigate the allegations which will affect the rankings of Recto and Sen. Gringo Honasan for the 12th and 13th places. — Sandy Araneta