MANILA, Philippines – Former Maguindanao election supervisor Lintang Bedol will be detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) custodial center in Camp Crame, Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said Tuesday in a press conference aired live over television and radio, including 990AM.
“We’ll be sending our organic security with Bedol during his detention at PNP custodial center,” Brillantes said.
Comelec has decided to detain Bedol in Camp Crame after convening for an hour after the former election supervisor appeared at their office at around 9:00 a.m Tuesday.
Bedol’s lawyer, Roberto Ultado Jr. said his client was detained at the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for one week before he was turned over to the Comelec. He also said that DILG gave security to Bedol.
Bedol disappeared after he was summoned by the Comelec to testify on alleged irregularities in the 2007 senatorial elections. He was subsequently cited for contempt and sentenced in absentia to six months imprisonment.
Bedol and former Governor Zaldy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao last week accused former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of engineering vote-shaving and vote-padding operations in the 2004 presidential and 2007 senatorial elections.