Arroyo may escape second electoral sabotage case–Brillantes

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

It is not certain if former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be included among the accused in the electoral sabotage case to be filed this week in connection with the alleged rigging of election results in North Cotabato and South Cotabato in 2007, according to Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr.

“It’s not sure yet. She may be included or she may not be included. It depends on the final review of the documents because [her involvement] was somewhat not clearly pinpointed,” Brillantes told reporters Sunday.

“It’s only possible [that she will be charged] because the case is not that strong unlike  the Maguindanao case [filed before the Pasay City court by  the Comelec against Arroyo on November 18]. But she can be included because of what the two witnesses are saying,” he added.

Brillantes was referring to the former provincial election supervisors for South and North Cotabato, Lilian Suan-Radam and Yogi Martirizar, respectively, who claimed in  September that they were ordered by then Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. to ensure a 12-0 sweep of the Arroyo administration’s senatorial slate in their provinces.

During Abalos’ term, Radam and Martirazar were charged with electoral sabotage before the Pasay court. The two professed their innocence, describing the filing of  the cases against them as a “smokescreen” meant to cover up the involvement of the then Comelec chief.

Radam and Martirazar said they received instructions to alter the election results in their provinces from “handlers” in  military intelligence, a Captain Peter Reyes and a Major Joey Lleaban, as well as then acting Comelec regional director Michael Abas.

“It is emphasized that the instructions (came) from the top, which we clearly understood to be the President [Arroyo],” Radam said in her affidavit.

Brillantes declined to discuss how the Comelec would go about filing the case, especially in view of the charges of electoral sabotage filed against Radam and Martirazar four years ago and their subsequent application to become state witnesses.

However, the Comelec chief said he was “almost sure” that Abalos and the other officials named by Radam and Martirazar would be charged when the case was discussed and voted upon by the commission on Tuesday.

The case was prepared by the joint Department of Justice-Comelec fact-finding team and preliminary investigation panel.

“We will file the case depending on what the result of the voting [at the en banc session] would be,” Brillantes said.