Poll officers bribed to ensure win for Arroyo in 2004—witness

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.