Comelec exec says it's hard to tamper with poll results

MANILA, Philippines - An official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday said election officials who allegedly tried to extort money from candidates in exchange for victory in the elections may have made empty promises because it is very hard to manipulate the poll results.

Comelec Law Department Director Ferdinand Rafanan said anyone could claim to have the ability to manipulate the result of the May 10 polls but there is no assurance that they could actually do it.

“Anyone can offer victory (in exchange for money) but it doesn’t mean that they can really deliver. They might have even offered their services to rival candidates and, of course, one of them will win. They earn money from the winner and, maybe, return the money that they took from the loser,” Rafanan said in a telephone interview.

Former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office chairman Manuel Morato earlier alleged that a group of men, including some Comelec regional directors, had approached him to offer victory for Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential bet Gilberto Teodoro in exchange for P1 billion.

Lawyer Homobono Adaza also alleged that some election officials were involved in poll fraud. 

Rafanan said the automated election system could not easily be tampered with so the offers could be a sham.

The Comelec is presently conducting a parallel investigation on the alleged irregularities on the procurement of the ballot secrecy folders. The investigating panel, led by Rafanan, is expected to come up with a report Friday next week.

The Office of the Ombudsman is also investigating the P700-million contract with OTC Paper Supply, which was cancelled because of alleged overpricing. Under the contract, each folder costs P380.

The Comelec Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), which approved the contract, expressed confidence that they can answer all questions regarding the contract.

Committee chair Maria Lea Alarcon said there was no anomaly in the bidding process and the records can prove it.

“We don’t have liability because we submitted all of the records and documents and they will show that we have complied with the law and everything,” Alarcon said. – With Sandy Araneta