Former President Arroyo gave 12-0 order –Pichay

STAUNCH ALLY Prospero Pichay. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines—Former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo gave an order to “campaign” 12-0 but not to cheat in the 2007 senatorial race, her staunch ally said on Wednesday.

Former Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) chairperson Prospero Pichay revealed that he was present in a meeting in Malacañang when President Arroyo gave the 12-0 order to governors then allied with her, who included former Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr.

“It’s normal that we campaign for 12-0…syempre 12-0 ang kampanya. Pero it’s not an order to rig the election or to cheat,” Pichay, who ran and lost in the 2007 Senatorial Elections, told INQUIRER.net over the phone.

“The President was exhorting all the members of the party to campaign 12-0. Pero yung sinasabi ni Unas na palitan yung resulta ng election? Paano papalitan e wala pang halalan? (So how could Unas say the election results were rigged if there was no election yet?” he said, referring to Andal Sr.’s senior aide, Norie Unas, who claimed that Arroyo gave the order to cheat in 2007.

Pichay said the President gave the order in a gathering of governors under Lakas-Kampi CMD Party in Malacañang.

“Most members of the party, the governors, who are members of the party were there and there was no instruction to cheat. There was a campaign pitch na mag 12-0 tayo. That’s all,” he said.

“So Una is not a credible witness. Niloloko lang natin ang taumbayan na witness natin si Unas. My God, kawawa naman itong ating bayan na pati yung scion of the massacre e gagawin na nating state witness (It’s a pity and our country is on the losing end if even a scion of those responsible for the Maguindanao massacre will become state witness),” said Pichay, who has been dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman from his post as LWUA chair in July this year with forfeiture of all benefits and was perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

Pichay also branded as another lie the allegation that the President had also ordered a zero vote for an opposition candidate.

“Do you think the President (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) is stupid to say na i-zero mo yung isang kandidato? May nakaka-zero bang kandidato? Walang makaka-zero na kandidato kasi kahit papano may mga watchers yan (Do you think President Arroyo is stupid to order zero vote for a candidate? Is there such a thing? There’s nothing like that because there are watchers for each candidate at least),” he said.

“That’s another lie. These people, they are morally bankrupt,” said Pichay, who is also under investigation for tax evasion, grave misconduct and plunder.

He then appealed for “sense of decency,” saying Unas was not a credible witness.

He also cautioned the Aquino administration against using any member of the Ampatuan clan, who might have an ulterior motive to get out of jail.  Ampatuan with his sons Andal Jr. and Zaldy, has been detained for the 2009 Maguindanao massacre.

“They should be very careful in trying to choose their witness because if their witness is not credible, it’s gonna be a pitiful situation. The accused won’t be in a similar state because we are sure there was no such instruction. It’s the Filipino people and the Aquino administration that would be pathetic in the end,” said Pichay.

“Can you find any other credible witness aside from those guys in Maguindanao, who have probably an ulterior motive to be close to PNoy (President Aquino) because they want to get out of prison?” he added.

Pichay was suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman as chair of LWUA in May this year pending investigation if he is guilty of grave misconduct and violation of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officers and Employees. He was dismissed two months later.

For not filing an income tax return for the year when LWUA bought a bankrupt thrift bank and with his net worth rising by close to P60 million, Pichay is facing tax evasion charges. He allegedly owed the government P32.73 million in income tax for 2009.

He is also facing a separate complaint for plunder before the Department of Justice.