Abalos to file new motion

MANILA, Philippines - The camp of former Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos will ask the Pasay City regional trial court today to reconsider its decision, finding probable cause to charge him with electoral sabotage for allegedly manipulating the 2007 senatorial elections in South and North Cotabato.

Defense lawyer Brigido Dulay said Abalos could not be charged with electoral sabotage because the contested certificate of canvass (COC) for North Cotabato was not counted.

Dulay alleged that the original COC was kept by provincial supervisor Yogi Martirazar who allegedly submitted a fake COC, which was later used as evidence against her in another election fraud case.

“But the fake COC was disregarded because the board of canvassers discovered it was tampered. So how could there be tampering when the fake COC was not counter and there were no votes affected?” Dulay told The STAR.

Meanwhile, a classmate of Abalos in elementary school visited him in his detention cell at the Southern Police District yesterday.

Anita Resngit, 76, recalled Abalos as someone “very bright” and “very simple.”

She said she continue to support the former poll chief “because I believe in his innocence.”

Resngit and Abalos are classmates from Grades 1 to 6 at the Mandaluyong Elementary School.