Opposition to file disqualification case vs Recto

The opposition will file disqualification charges against Batangas Rep. Ralph Recto, who is in 13th place in the senatorial elections.

Former Immigration Commissioner Rufus Rodriguez said the disqualification will stem from the reported padding of Recto’s votes in Zamboanga del Norte, Northern Samar, and Tawi-Tawi. The Commission on Elections issued a ruling last May 31 deducting about 94,000 from the total votes of Recto.

The deduction, however, still leaves Recto about 683,00 votes ahead of his closest pursuer, re-electionist Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, with only about 700,000 votes from the provinces of Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao still uncanvassed.

Recto’s campaign manager, Dave Torres, said that Recto is now out of Enrile’s reach.

He explained that with only 707,083 registered voters in the uncanvassed area and with an 80-percent turnout, only about 577,000 votes remain uncounted.

"So it is very clear that there’s no way those in the rear of the count could polevault to the winning circle," he said.

Torres added that they are even expecting a 12th place finish for Recto as only a slim 66,000 votes separate the Batangas lawmaker from re-electionist Sen. Gregorio Honasan.

Rodriguez said that the disqualification case against Recto would be filed by Enrile and Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, who is in 15th place, about 710,000 votes behind Recto.

Rodriguez said that they would cite circumstantial evidence in linking Recto to the padding of the latter’s votes.

"The members of the board of canvassers would not pad the votes of a candidate on their own. There must be a beneficiary," he explained.

Earlier, Crispin Remulla, spokesman for the Puwersa ng Masa-Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, said the opposition would also be examining certificates of canvass in about 70 provinces.

Remulla said that among these provinces are four areas in Metro Manila, Iloilo, Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quirino and Ilocos Sur.

Meanwhile, former executive secretary and incoming Sen. Edgardo Angara pledged yesterday to undertake critical cooperation with the administration of President Arroyo.

Angara, who is now safely in ninth place in the official Commission on Elections canvassing, said that the opposition in the 12th Congress will not be obstructionist and instead help flesh out vital measures that would benefit the people, "especially the poor."

Angara and Senate President Pro Tempore Blas Ople said that before the convening of the 12th Congress, opposition senators will hold a workshop in Tagaytay City to prepare their own legislative agenda.

"We are prepared to help the Arroyo administration in formulating measures that would benefit the poor," Ople said.