Ebdane denies ordering Batasan break-in

IBA, Zambales, Philippines—-Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. on Friday denied ordering a group of police officers to steal and switch 2004 election returns housed in the Batasang Pambansa complex back in 2005, despite a sworn statement made by one of his former subordinates.

Speaking at a news conference, Ebdane, a former Philippine National Police chief, said he had to call three people to reconstruct the events on the evening of Jan. 19, 2005, saying he could not recall taking coffee at Figaro where Senior Supt. Rafael Santiago claimed to have met with the governor to discuss the clandestine operation.

Last month, Santiago, former Zambales police director, surrendered election materials he claimed to have stolen from the Batasan complex, allegedly upon the instructions of Ebdane.

Ebdane said he did not want to respond to the charges but added he was reminded of the adage that “a lie repeated too often becomes the truth to the larger public.”

Ebdane quickly left the news conference in the middle of a sentence. He said: “I will never give in to something that will affect the future of my province. I can sacrifice my personal desires, my personal interest, if it affects my province… Iyan ang kasalanan ko sa pamilya ko (That is what I owe my family…I never thought of my family. Nag-retire ako, pumunta ako rito sa probinsiya with nothing less but the interest of my province.”