Key witness in poll fraud raps vs GMA seeks immunity

MANILA, Philippines - A key witness in the electoral sabotage charges filed against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo admitted in last Thursday’s hearing at the Pasay City Regional Trial Court that he decided to testify to get immunity from suit in connection with the cheating in the 2007 polls and the Maguindanao massacre in 2009.

Former Maguindanao provincial administrator Norie Unas admitted during cross-examination that he is being implicated in the poll fraud and the Maguindanao massacre, which prompted him to come out of hiding and testify against now Pampanga congresswoman Arroyo and her co-accused former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and Lintang Bedol, former provincial election officer of Maguindanao.

Unas, the star witness of the Comelec against Arroyo, Bedol and Ampatuan, finally testified in court and claimed that he heard Arroyo ordering Ampatuan to ensure a 12-0 victory for the administration senatorial candidates belonging to Team Unity.

Unas was said to be a trusted aide of Ampatuan.

Under cross-examination by defense lawyers in the bail hearings before Judge Jesus Mupas, Unas also denied involvement in the alleged cheating in the May 2007 polls, although he admitted that he provided logistical support to election officers to ensure the victory of Team Unity.

Ampatuan’s counsel Sigfried Fortun said Unas wanted to evade prosecution from the poll cheating, the Maguindanao massacre, and also the rebellion charges for leading an uprising in the house of ex-Gov. Ampatuan after the mass killing in 2009. 

Fortun said in Unas’ sworn affidavit on Oct. 3, 2011, he indicated as a condition to his executing the affidavit that he be given immunity from criminal prosecution and be admitted to the Witness Protection Program of the government.

He said the Comelec presented several election officers in the bail hearings for Arroyo, Ampatuan, and Bedol who testified that Unas had direct participation in the poll cheating in Maguindanao in 2007.

Arroyo’s lawyer Benjamin Santos said the testimony of Unas is pure hearsay and had no probative value.

“He said he just overheard the former president give such instruction to former governor Ampatuan. Without any corroborative evidence, that is inadmissible and there is no corroborative evidence because Gov. Ampatuan himself denied being given such instruction,” he said.

Arroyo supposedly told Ampatuan during a meeting in Malacañang to ensure a 12-0 victory for Team Unity in Maguindanao.

Fortun, however, said the Comelec had failed to include the supposed instruction of Arroyo in the information for electoral sabotage when the same involves the very heart of the crime.  

“This is tantamount to violation of due process,” he said.

Fortun said he was able to establish that Unas came out and turned state witness just to evade charges of rebellion, electoral sabotage, and murder for the Maguindanao massacre. 

Unas also testified that he provided logistical support to Bedol in the form of money, transportation, personnel and all administrative needs to carry out the supposed 12-0 win for Team Unity.

He said all the logistical support came from his former boss Ampatuan Sr. and his son then governor Zaldy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Meanwhile, Arroyo was unfazed by the testimony of Unas, whose statements she described as “false and fabricated.”

Arroyo’s lawyer Raul Lambino said Unas himself admitted before the court that he was forced to testify to save himself from prosecution, including his alleged involvement in the Maguindanao massacre. – With Paolo Romero