4 electioneering cases filed vs Morato

MANILA, Philippines - Former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office chairman Manuel Morato was charged yesterday with four counts of election offense before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for allegedly using the agency’s funds to campaign for defeated presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro in 2010.

The complainant, lawyer Bonifacio Alentajan, said that Morato had violated Article 10 and Article 22 of the Omnibus Election Code when he rooted for Teodoro in his television show “Dial M” aired on PTV 4 and IBC 13.

Article 10 specifies some prohibited forms of election propaganda, including radio or television stations selling or giving “free air time for campaign and other political purposes except authorized’’ by the poll body.

Article 22, on the other hand, declares as unlawful the “use of public funds, money deposited in trust, equipment, facilities owned or controlled by the government for an election campaign.’’

Alentajan based his complaint on the “campaign speeches, announcements and endorsements’’ made by Morato concerning Teodoro’s campaign schedules and well-attended campus tours in his TV show on Jan. 14, 2010.

He added that Morato had interviewed members of the “Moms for Gibo Movement’’ and discouraged voters from voting for then senatorial candidates Teofisto Guingona III and Francis Escudero.

“Respondent Morato also wore a green wristband with the name of Gibo Teodoro which he flashed on television every now and then for the viewers to see,” Alentajan added.

Meanwhile, the investigation on the rigging of the 2004 and 2007 polls has yet to start due to a lack of a resolution from the Comelec and the Department of Justice (DOJ) creating the joint panel.

A Comelec insider said that while members of the much-hyped panel have been named last week, it has not started functioning.

Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima are supposed to sign the resolution.

The panel is composed of Prosecutor General Claro Arella as chairman with members: Comelec’s Law Department director Ferdinand Rafanan, Pasig City Prosecutor Jacinto Ang and lawyer Michael Villaret of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal.

Ebdane ready  to show up at DOJ

Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and now Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane yesterday said he is ready to show up at the DOJ if Justice Secretary Leila de Lima will summon him in connection with the allegations that he ordered the switching of election returns to give then re-electionist President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo a fresh six-year term.

“But they have to give me first a copy of the affidavit of Police Senior Superintendent Rafael Santiago,” he said.

Ebdane maintained that he will answer the allegations hurled against him by Santiago in the proper forum. Santiago served as Zambales PNP director before he was sacked from his post last month.

Ebdane said he has treated Santiago “as a son.’’ – With Bebot Sison, Cecille Suerte Felipe