FPJ, Ping welcome US election observers

Presidential candidates Fernando Poe Jr. and Sen. Panfilo Lacson welcomed the scheduled arrival next month of international observers from the United States and Asia to monitor the conduct of the May elections, claiming that this will prevent any attempts to cheat in the polls.

"We welcome that. The more observers, the better," Lacson told reporters during the second day of his campaign sortie in Bulacan.

Lacson said the presence of election observers from the US, an advance party of which will arrive in March, can actually prevent plans to rig the elections.

Poe, for his part, said "that’s okay. At least not only our countrymen will be enlightened (on the elections) but also the international community as well."

Poe, standard-bearer of the Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP), also expressed hope that there will be no widespread fraud or violence during the elections.

Poe also denied allegations that the KNP had anything to do with reported plots to destabilize the government and cautioned his supporters not to join such moves.

"Actually, my supporters are peaceful," he said. "I’ve not heard such moves. If there’s such a thing, I hope it would not happen."

Re-electionist Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, who is running under the banner of the KNP, said the presence of foreign observers will deter any intent to cheat in the elections.

"This administration is determined to cheat, as shown by the appointment of two (Commission on Elections or Comelec) commissioners of questionable integrity," he said. "We want assistance from all, if necessary, to prevent fraud."

Pimentel said he and KNP vice-presidential bet Sen. Loren Legarda were reportedly mentioned in a top-secret document as linked to the destabilization plot.

He said he was furnished a copy of an alleged top-secret memorandum from the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), dated Feb. 18, detailing their involvement.

"I denounce the satanic plot of the ISAFP implicating me (in an attempt) to destabilize the government. I uphold the rule of law and oppose such moves," Pimentel said.

Last Feb. 18, Malacañang announced that a group of international observers led by United States Sen. Richard Lugar would come to the Philippines and observe the conduct of the May elections.

Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo, in a letter to Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos dated Jan. 28, said President Arroyo has allowed representatives from the National Democratic Institute (NDI) to monitor the elections and ensure that honest, orderly and peaceful elections are held on May 10.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the NDI wrote a letter to Romulo expressing their "group’s interest to participate in the elections here as a monitoring team."

Romulo merely "endorsed" the NDI’s request to the Comelec, he added.

Bunye noted that Lugar led a team of US observers during the February 1986 elections when the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos ran for re-election against Corazon Aquino.

He said it was Lugar who, upon returning to the US, denounced the alleged massive cheating during the 1986 snap election.