Melo orders probe of stolen ballot boxes from La Union

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union , Philippines   – La Union Gov. Manuel Ortega disclosed here Friday that Commission on Elections Chairman Jose Melo has ordered an investigation into the report that the ballot boxes containing election returns from La Union that are under protest were stolen last July 27 at the Comelec office in Intramuros, Manila. 

Ortega said Melo directed an immediate investigation into the matter after Ester Villaflor Roxas, a Comelec personnel, reported to the Commission en banc that the election returns of La Union during the 2007 polls were either missing or tampered while in the custody of the Comelec’s Election Records Statistics Department.

“This tampering of election returns was obviously done to benefit the election protest of my political opponents who want to subvert the will of the people of La Union. The people of La Union will not allow such a brazen act to manipulate results of the last 2007 elections,” Ortega said.

He said the incident is not the first time his political opponents attempted to perpetuate election fraud in La Union. In July 2007, after his proclamation as governor, the original Certificates of Canvass (COCs) from seven municipalities of the province and this city were found stolen at the Comelec provincial office and replaced with spurious copies in an attempt to reverse the results of the elections in favor of the losing candidate.

Ortega beat former Rep. Tomas Dumpit Sr. in the gubernatorial post during the 2007 elections but the latter filed an election protest nullifying Ortega’s proclamation.

It was learned that Comelec investigators are looking into possible conspiracy and one security personnel was already held for questioning on how the perpetuators managed to get inside the Records Section.  

Based on the result of investigation on the first incident, the Comelec found that a close friend of Dumpit, allegedly replaced the original COCs with fake copies. Administrative charges were filed against an erring Comelec personnel and the person was ordered prosecuted.

Ortega, who celebrated his 64th birthday Friday, met with political allies and constituents at the provincial capitol here and commended the effort of the Comelec under the leadership of Melo for preserving the will of the electorate.

He was confident that the Comelec, through Melo, will not tolerate such acts and punish those responsible in the illegal activity.