Abalos cleared in S. Cotabato poll sabotage cases

MANILA, Philippines - A Pasay court has acquitted former Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. of 11 counts of electoral sabotage filed by the poll body in January 2012 on alleged cheating in South Cotabato during the 2007 midterm election.

A report by ABS-CBN said yesterday presiding Judge Eugenio de la Cruz of Pasay Regional Trial Court  Branch 117 ruled that the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the guilt of Abalos.

Abalos was accused of plotting and conniving with South Cotabato provincial election supervisor lawyer Lilian Suan-Radam to give a 12-0 result in favor of candidates of Team Unity.

He is also under trial for two counts of the same charge before Judge Jesus Mupas of Branch 112.

De la Cruz noted that although Radam testified that Abalos had instructed her to make Team Unity win 12-0 in South Cotabato, this does not make Abalos a principal by inducement.

She also denied that she followed Abalos’ instructions. Radam, who was also indicted with Abalos, was made a state witness after charges against her were dropped by the Department of Justice