Ping dares Abalos: Account for ERs first

Opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson called on Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Benjamin Abalos to account for the unused election returns during last year’s general elections.

Lacson challenged Abalos to account for the election documents instead of turning the tables on the opposition to produce proof of election fraud.

Lacson pointed out some 30,000 election returns had been printed in excess for the May 10, 2004 polls.

"The Comelec should first account for the election returns. It is already established that it ordered the printing of 30,000 such forms last year. But how many of these forms were used and how many were not used?" Lacson said.

Lacson, who came in third during the presidential elections last year, said he will initiate a move in the Senate when Congress reconvenes in July to investigate the missing election returns (ERs).

He pointed out that the election documents could have translated into six million votes.

Although printing excess election returns is not illegal, Lacson emphasized the high probability of using the extra forms to commit election fraud.

"Ordering the printing of extra election returns itself is not illegal, because this is a precaution in case the Comelec runs out of forms. But since Chairman Abalos has dared me to present evidence the ERs were used for cheating, I dare him to account for the ERs," he said.

What is illegal is if the forms were used in poll fraud, the senator stressed.

Lacson earlier detailed how some of the excess ERs allegedly found their way to Cebu, Iloilo, Pampanga and Las Piñas which are identified as "administration-friendly" areas.

During the launching of the "Be Not Afraid" movement last week, Lacson pointed out that some of the ERs in question showed that the first pages of the forms had been replaced with pre-fabricated forms on election day. The former national police chief noted that even the thumb marks could have been tampered. — Christina Mendez