Angara: GMA getting ready to cheat in ’04

Sen. Edgardo Angara accused yesterday President Arroyo of laying the groundwork for "massive fraud" in pushing for the nationwide implementation of computerized counting of ballots in the 2004 presidential elections.

Angara, chairman of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revisions of codes and laws, claimed Mrs. Arroyo intends to veto two resolutions from the House of Representatives and the Senate seeking to implement selective computerized counting of ballots.

"There are signs that the election would be fraudulent (so) Congress decided computerization should be done in selected basis. But we heard lately that the President wants a nationwide computerized counting which is a recipe for disaster," he said.

Angara said their committee study revealed the counting machines of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) can be effective only down to the precinct or municipal level.

"So there will be many parts of the country where ballot boxes will have to be transported to these town centers before they are counted," Angara said.

The opposition senator pointed out that in some areas, several kilometers separate the barangays from the town proper that ballot boxes can be switched or the results altered while in transit.

"This call of Mrs. Arroyo to have a nationwide computerized counting this coming elections is a call for a fraudulent election," Angara said, adding that selective computerization is the only way to conduct honest and clean elections.

"The President decided to veto the joint resolution of Congress. She is preparing for massive fraud in the 2004 elections. I hope I am wrong. I hope she will not go to that direction," he said. Jose Rodel Clapano