MANILA, Philippines – Election officers were bribed to ensure the victory of then President and now Pampanga Representative during the 2004 presidential elections, a former Sharia Judge Court told a Senate hearing on Tuesday.
Nagamura Moner told the Senate blue ribbon committee that he paid the election officers in some areas in Mindanao to change the results in favor of Arroyo.
“What was the money for?” asked Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile.
“It was to pay the election officers…because at that time, the results of the counting showed that FPJ was winning by landslide,” Moner said, referring to the late Fernando Poe Jr, who lost to Arroyo in the 2004 presidential elections.
“You were bribing election officers?” Enrile asked again.
“Yes your honor although I have not met them,” Moner said.
Moner said a total of P400,000 was spent in Tawi-Tawi and P500,000 in Sulu to change the results of the elections in these areas.
Moner said he was tapped by then Philippine Ports Authority general manager Alfonso Cusi for the operation because his brother -in -law, Efren Bollozos, was working as manager of the PPA.