Blue Ribbon committee to start inquiry into 2004, 2007 poll fraud

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III yesterday said the Senate Blue Ribbon committee would start its inquiry into alleged fraud in the 2004 and 2007 elections as soon as the ongoing inquiry into the helicopters purchase of the Philippine National Police (PNP) is finished.

He said the probe would be conducted along with the committee on electoral reforms.

Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Sen. Panfilo Lacson filed two resolutions urging the committee on electoral reforms headed by Pimentel to investigate the election anomalies.

Pimentel said the investigation could “co-exist” with the joint probe of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

He said the Senate panel could even coordinate with the joint Comelec-DOJ panel and exchange information and evidence.

The Comelec, on the other hand, removed its former law department director Ferdinand Rafanan as member of the joint Comelec-DOJ panel.

Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes said it was agreed during a “special en banc meeting” yesterday that Rafanan should no longer be part of the panel.

“We cannot trust him (Rafanan) anymore. Last Wednesday, we had a meeting and we settled everything. Or we thought it was already settled because he agreed. But after the meeting, he was saying so many things against us. He even gave us a memorandum that he did not like (what happened during the meeting),” Brillantes said.

Rafanan was reportedly dismayed at the appointment of Allen Francis Abaya as acting director of the Comelec’s law department.

He said Abaya was involved in the P690-million ballot secrecy folder scam that had forced the Comelec to scuttle the project.

Pimentel, however, noted the allegations against Abaya and said he would file a resolution urging the Senate to investigate his appointment as head of the Comelec’s law department.

Pimentel said there was no reason why the Comelec has to appoint Abaya to such a sensitive post considering his involvement in what could have been a huge scam last year.

The Comelec bids and awards committee, where Abaya was a member, approved the purchase of 1.8 million ballot secrecy folders at P380 each, which would have cost the poll body a total of P690 million.

This was prevented after the Comelec en banc moved to stop the awarding of the contract in light of the overpricing.

While already suspended for six months by the Ombudsman after being found guilty of an administrative offense over the ballot secrecy folder scam, Pimentel said Abaya should not have been assigned to head the law department of the Comelec.

He said that the Comelec leadership should have thoroughly considered Abaya’s record before appointing him to a highly sensitive position in the poll body.

“I’m afraid Atty. Abaya is damaged goods. His involvement in the secrecy folder scam raises the issue of moral turpitude. Can he perform the role of head of the Comelec law department without inviting questions about his capability to render just and fair decisions on election cases?” Pimentel said.

“What I am saying, in short, is that Atty. Abaya would not be credible as the Comelec’s top lawyer,” he added.

Meanwhile, Pimentel said he would actively participate in the Senate investigation on the elections fraud even though he was involved in the electoral protest case filed against resigned senator Juan Miguel Zubiri. – With Sheila Crisostomo