Senate poll probe chief wonders: Why only Arroyo?

MANILA, Philippines—What’s keeping the Commission on Elections from filing an electoral sabotage case against its former chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr.?

In questioning the delay, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, chairman of the Senate committee on electoral reforms, noted that a joint Comelec and Department of Justice panel had recommended the filing of charges against Abalos alongside former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and several others about two weeks ago.

In contrast, the Comelec acted on the same recommendation by the panel and charged Arroyo, now a Pampanga congressional representative, with electoral sabotage within a day, Pimentel observed.

“So is this proof that the government is indeed only after GMA (Arroyo)?” he asked in a phone interview with the Inquirer. “Is this a manifestation of the ‘protect your own’ (mentality) within the Comelec since Abalos is a former chairman?”

Pimentel pointed out that the case against Arroyo, who has been detained since a Pasay court ordered her arrest on November 19, was resting only on the testimony of lone witness Norie Unas. On the other hand, he said, the government has “two to three” witnesses against Abalos.

“Why is the Comelec taking its time before filing a case against its former chairman when it was able to speedily resolve the case against Gloria?” the senator asked. “Under the (principle of) equal protection of the law, you go to jail whether you are a former president or a former Comelec chairman.”

But Pimentel was confident that the case against Arroyo was air-tight despite having only one witness. He noted that many cases in Philippine jurisprudence involved convictions based only on the testimony of one witness.

Pimentel recalled the account of Unas, who alleged that he heard Arroyo instruct then Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. in  a private meeting to ensure the victory of all 12 administration senatorial candidates in the 2007 elections.

The senator said Unas’ account was different from that of Ahmad Mamucao, a former information officer of Ampatuan who also claimed that Arroyo had told a group of supporters to ensure a 12-0 victory for her candidates.

“From a lawyer’s point of view, a marching order of 12-0 does not necessarily amount to electoral sabotage because it could be synonymous only to a straight vote and there’s nothing wrong with that,”  he said.

“What is damaging is the account of Unas because Arroyo gave the instruction in a private meeting with Andal Sr. and he was there. The instruction was to the effect that Andal Sr. should ensure the victory by hook or by crook.”

Pimentel’s committee has tentatively set another hearing on December 15 on alleged cases of electoral fraud under the Aquino administration. He said he would summon ex-Army Sergeant Vidal Doble, a witness in the “Hello Garci” wiretapping scandal.

Doble earlier told the Inquirer that Colonel Pedro Sumayo, his former superior at the MIG 21 intelligence unit, did not tell senators everything he knew about the wiretapping operation dubbed “Project Lighthouse.”

Doble said Sumayo was in a position identify who in Malacañang had ordered the operation, which recorded conversations allegedly between Arroyo and then Election Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.