Malonzo cries foul

Caloocan City Mayor Reynaldo Malonzo, who is running for a congressional seat (1st district), decried yesterday the "massive cheating" that marred the electoral exercise in the city.

Initial results, official and unofficial, showed former Caloocan Rep. Enrico "Recom" Echiverri (KNP) leading over four other contenders for city mayor, which include Malonzo’s wife Gigi. Canvassing also shows that Malonzo’s rival leading in the congressional race.

Malonzo was fuming mad as he assailed alleged "massive cheating" perpetrated with the help of conniving teachers at the polling place.

Malonzo said he is seeking a recount and threatened to file charges of election fraud.

"I will never concede," the mayor said in a press conference.

Malonzo was trailing leading candidate and former vice mayor Oscar Malapitan by 4,365. The third spot was taken by former Councilor Susana Punzalan at 7,708.

On the other hand, Namfrel’s quick count update issued at 2:50 p.m. yesterday showed Echiverri leading by some 15,000 votes over fellow Caloocan District 2 Rep. Edgar Erice, his closest rival for the post (33,519 to 18,550). On the third spot was Mrs. Malonzo at 17,144, with former mayor Macario "Boy" Asistio Jr. taking the tailend at 15,928.

The figures represented 672 precincts already counted. Caloocan has a total of 3,614 precincts in 188 barangays and 581,612 registered voters as of April 2004.

The latest figures issued by the Caloocan Board of Canvassers came at 11 p.m. with only 2.57 percent counted and only in the first district. It showed Echiverri leading the pack at 2,322, some 1,000 over Erice at the No. 2 spot.

In District 2, the Namfrel count had former Rep. Luis "Baby" Asistio (KNP) leading by a wide margin over closest rival lawyer Benedicto Gonzales Jr. (20,248 to 12,084).

Malonzo told reporters at his office that some teachers in his district connived with Echiverri and his men to tamper with the election returns.

"Hindi ako naniniwalang natalo ako. Kung si Gigi ang natatalo, hindi ako magtataka dahil bago lang siya. Pero kung ako, I can’t believe this. We are questioning this," Malonzo said presenting some copies of alleged tampered returns. He said the returns, coming from different precincts, showed suspicious patterns where the names were arranged alphabetically and uniformly, some showing the name of Malapitan in capital letters, as if in a code.

"I have been quiet, meditating and taking stock of the results and thinking maybe I did really lost the fight. But here come these tampered returns (from 10 precincts). Binaboy nila with liquid paper para ma-question, set aside and deferred. Is this fair and honest?" Malonzo said, referring to returns where he was allegedly winning.

"We are holding a prayer rally tonight," Malonzo also announced saying that he was afraid it could turn into a protest rally even as thousands of his supporters congregated at the city hall premises at around three in the afternoon.