Maids seek protection for baring alleged Makati barangay poll fraud

MANILA, Philippines - Several maids in San Lorenzo Village, Makati City have sought police protection after they were threatened with harm and the loss of their jobs when they volunteered to testify on the alleged irregularities in the Oct. 25 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

Two house helpers, Alma Abellanosa and Nerissa Ayosep, complained to police that they were forced to recant their affidavits on the alleged cheating after they were threatened by a certain “Josephine” with harm and the loss of their jobs.

The STAR learned that other house helpers who are witnesses to the alleged fraud and irregularities were also threatened.

The concerned house helpers had executed affidavits attesting to the cheating allegedly perpetrated by Ernesto Moya and his kagawads (barangay councilors) who won in the last elections.

A defeated barangay chairman candidate, Joshua John Santiago, filed an election protest before the court and the Commission on Elections, asking for the nullification of Moya’s proclamation, due to his failure to sign his certificate of candidacy and the alleged massive cheating and irregularities through “misreading, miscounting, mistallying and mis-appreciation” of ballots.

Amery Santiago said their camp had documented and had affidavits of flying voters allegedly hired by Moya.

This developed as two defeated barangay kagawad candidates filed separate election protests before the metropolitan trial court in Makati City.

Imelda Mangalino and Christian Michael Dizon vowed to assist the beleaguered house helpers “in their fight for truth.”

“These are the ordinary people who witnessed the irregularities in the last elections and who motivate us to file election protest. We will not stop until the court and the Comelec resolve the issues,” said Mangalino, a political science expert.