De Lima says Zubiri benefitted in Mindanao poll fraud

MANILA, Philippines—Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri clearly benefitted from the election fraud in Mindanao in 2007 but whether he is liable is still premature to say, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said Thursday.

“We have to determine the extent of his knowledge. He may not have participated but clearly he was a beneficiary. A beneficiary may either be completely innocent or he acquiesced to the commission of the fraud. We have to know the extent of his knowledge,” De Lima said in a press conference.

But De Lima said Zubiri’s resignation is a good move although one has to think about the real motive.

“Is that face saving or is it because he knew already the outcome of the election protest or is that a strategy for possible reelection?” De Lima said.

Zubiri who resigned on Wednesday narrowly edged out lawyer Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III by about 18,000 votes to get the 12th Senate seat.

However, a recount at the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) particularly in Maguindanao revealed that Pimentel was ahead by about 257,000 votes. Pimentel was not proclaimed due to the counter-protest filed by Zubiri.

Pimentel’s father, former senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr., in his motion urged the Senate Electoral Tribunal to dismiss Zubiri’s counter-protest using as basis Zubiri’s motion to indefinitely suspend the revision of votes which should have started last July 19.

“His motion for indefinite suspension is an abandonment of his counter-protest,” he added.