The Lakas political officer who ordered a consultant of former Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. to deliver election materials purportedly used to support fictitious canvass results in the 2007 senatorial elections is likely to face charges of electoral sabotage, a nonbailable crime.
Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said on Tuesday that he had already encountered the name of Bong Serrano, the political officer in question, in “one or two” affidavits apart from that of Ampatuan consultant Ahmad Mamucao.
The sworn statements were submitted to the Senate blue ribbon and electoral reform committees in connection with its inquiry into the purported fraud in the 2004 and 2007 elections.
Serrano, reportedly the administrator of Pasay City, is a “fine candidate” for prosecution before the courts, according to Pimentel, who chairs the electoral reforms committee. The joint panel plans to invite Serrano to a hearing to be held before the Senate goes on recess on December 17.
Pimentel was explaining to reporters in an impromptu news conference on Tuesday why the Senate continued to look into the alleged massive cheating in the 2004 and 2007 elections when Serrano’s possible inclusion in electoral sabotage raps was raised.
At that time, the senator was appealing to witnesses privy to the cheating to “come up and tell the truth” so that the Senate could “assess their testimony and evidence.”
“The Senate has fact-finding powers, whether for legislation or recommendation for prosecution. The [goal] is not to charge people in court but to detect weaknesses in election laws that must be addressed. But in the rare event that a personality crops up and is said to have perpetrated fraud, the committees may recommend the prosecution of this person. One fine candidate for that is Bong Serrano,” Pimentel said.
Mamucao had told senators that Serrano ordered him to transport election returns (ERs) and other poll documents from Bukidnon province to Cotabato City just as senatorial candidates of the opposition were questioning the outcome of the canvass at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) headquarters in Manila.
He also claimed to have personally heard then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo tell Ampatuan and the latter’s aides to ensure a 12-0 victory for the administration’s senatorial candidates at a meeting in Malacañang in April 2007.
Lakas party man
Serrano was active in Lakas, the then ruling party, and is popular among reporters who have been covering its candidates in national elections since 1995.
One reporter said Serrano was a “very accommodating” source to those who wanted inside information on party matters and decisions.
Another recalled that Serrano figured prominently in the 1998 presidential campaign of then Speaker Jose de Venecia and was trusted by longtime Lakas campaign manager Gabriel Claudio.
Pimentel noted that a joint Department of Justice (DOJ)-Comelec panel had only recommended the prosecution of Arroyo, former Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. and former Maguindanao Election Supervisor Lintang Bedol in connection with the alleged manipulation of results in the 2007 senatorial polls.
“The Comelec has not charged [Serrano] in court for any crime although his name has been mentioned in one or two affidavits,” Pimentel said. “And here comes a third one by Mamucao. So if [those who executed the affidavits] are referring to the same person, that is a good example of a personality who is likely to be recommended for charges.”
Sen. Panfilo Lacson said in a text message that Serrano “needs to explain or refute the testimony of Ahmad Mamucao that they conducted special [operations consisting of] substituting the ERs, ballots, [certificates of canvass]” when he appears at the Senate inquiry.
Lacson said Serrano also had to shed light on Mamucao’s claim that he received a total of P50,000 from Serrano as an apparent “reward” for his delivery of the election materials to the house of Ampatuan’s then provincial administrator, Norie Unas.