Binay ‘hopes’ for probe on alleged irregularities in midterm polls

Vice President Jejomar Binay INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Vice President Jejomar Binay is “hoping” for an investigation of alleged irregularities in the midterm elections, saying his coalition is also collating reports of its members from the field.

Binay, among the leaders of the United Nationalist Alliance, said issues raised over the credibility of election results should be clarified.

He said, however, that the coalition, which won only three of the 12 slots for senators in the elections, is not mulling any formal protest.

“We’re just hoping and praying that they will take a look, investigate and verify all incidents being complained about. For instance, that 60-30-10, how did that happen? Things like that,” said Binay.

He was referring to the curious pattern in the results that an election watchdog, the Automated Election System Watch (AES), bared last week. Without categorically crying fraud, the group observed that administration candidates consistently got 60 percent of votes in various precincts, UNA 30 percent and the rest of the candidates 10 percent.

The Commission on Elections earlier debunked the theory.

Binay said his team is also putting together reports from the field on irregularities during the polls, including reports of vote-buying and possible involvement of government agencies in “questionable circumstances.” He did not expound.

“We’re ready with all the things. We are collecting all the experiences in our team. We are verifying if they are true then we will present to Comelec,” Binay told reporters.

Asked if such report could build up into a case, Binay clarified: “Not really. We just want to discuss what happened.”