Senator accuses Comelec chief of blackmail

MANILA, Philippines - Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano accused Commission on Election Chairman Sixto Brillantes yesterday of allegedly using an election protest case against his wife, Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano, to compel him into agreeing to his confirmation by the Commission on Appointments (CA).

“I am writing the CA this week asking for a full investigation and for decisive action on the attempt to blackmail a member of the CA or myself by the chairman of the Comelec,” he said.

Cayetano said the blackmail threats came from intermediaries who are close to Brillantes. He said he is ready to name them in the proper forum.

Brillantes denied Cayetano’s allegation that he tried to blackmail him in exchange for the CA nod.

“I never talked to him nor sent anyone to talk to him,” he said in a telephone interview.

Brillantes admitted that shortly after assuming office in January, he tried to meet with Cayetano to air his side after the senator accused him of being biased since the election protest was lodged by his former client, retired associate justice Dante Tiñga.

Cayetano said in the first offer, the intermediary said he would not have to worry about his wife’s case if Brillantes is confirmed.

The latest blackmail attempt came when he was told that the Comelec will start the recount of ballots soon, Cayetano said. Last March 30, the Comelec’s second division ordered the recount.

He said the intermediaries came back and told him they would be able to prevent the recount, “just meet with him.” He said he refused because their case is 44th on the poll body’s list of election protest cases.

According to Cayetano, the Comelec chairman wanted to “sit down with me” to talk about issues especially after the senator had expressed concerns over Brillantes’ appointment to the post.

“He’s blackmailing me to sit down with him and then to commit,” he said.

Cayetano said he had refused several requests to meet with the Comelec chairman since there is a pending electoral protest against his wife.

Asked if he was getting special treatment, Cayetano said, “I get negative favored treatment. Worse is that I am a member of the CA and they can do this. The usual complaint is that a CA member engage in horse-trading, and the issues should be addressed because this is improper.”

“But I don’t think it is proper that a member of CA is being pressured. This would affect the integrity of the confirmation process and also in effect of the automation process,” Cayetano added.         – With Sheila Crisostomo