Senate to probe cheating in 2004, 2007 polls

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate committee on electoral reforms is prepared to look into the alleged fraud during the 2004 and 2007 elections as well as examine the details of the Mayuga report on the military’s reported involvement in election cheating, committee chairman Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said yesterday.

Pimentel welcomed the challenge posed by his colleagues, particularly Sen. Panfilo Lacson, for him to lead the Senate investigation into the alleged cheating during the 2004 and 2007 polls after the new senator was elected as head of the revived committee on electoral reforms.

“Yes, I believe that falls under my jurisdiction,” Pimentel said, adding that he will act at once after a resolution is forwarded by the plenary to his committee, which the Senate formed last week to accommodate the neophyte senator’s wishes for him to be given a chance to help reform the election system.

Pimentel told The STAR that the committee will act “the soonest time possible” once he gets the pertinent documents related to the alleged electoral fraud.

He said he is still in the process of gathering members for the electoral reforms committee, which is allocated 11 members under Senate rules. 

Sen. Lito Lapid has been elected vice-chairman of the committee before session temporarily adjourned last Wednesday.

Apart from Lacson and Pimentel, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Blue Ribbon chairman Sen. Teofisto Guingona III are also in favor of a re-investigation by the chamber into the alleged cheating in the 2004 and 2007 elections.

Lacson is also suggesting that retired military Gen. Mateo Mayuga be summoned before the Senate to explain how his group came out with a report, which absolved the so-called “Hello, Garci” generals in the alleged poll fraud.

In an interview over radio dwIZ, Lacson also said he wants to know who were the field researchers involved in the gathering of statements of alleged witnesses during the time the Mayuga commission was conducting its probe.

Restrained

Meantime, a former Army colonel who was among those investigated by the Mayuga panel in connection with the reported massive poll anomalies in the 2004 presidential elections surfaced yesterday to declare that all moves of the military probe body were subdued and restrained.

The Mayuga panel, named after its head former Navy chief retired Vice Admiral Mayuga, was created by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to probe reports that soldiers were used to ensure the victory of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo over closest rival movie actor Fernando Poe Jr.          – With Jaime Laude