2004 elections in Bohol, ex-Comelec officer exposes "fraud"

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines - A former election officer has exposed what he considered as fraudulent scheme in the conduct of the 2004 presidential elections that allegedly favored the former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In his sworn statement dated August 9, 2011, Alfredo Elmer Doblas, the former election officer, alleged that during his own check around the towns from May 11 to 13, last year, he "discovered massive irregularities in the statement of votes (SOVs) and the election returns (ERs) wherein the total number of registered voters in most precincts minus those who actually voted did not tally or were marked zero."

Doblas resigned from his post and ran for the post of Provincial Board member under the banner of KNP of then presidential bet Fernando Poe, Jr. He lost.

In his affidavit, Doblas claimed he inquired with his former fellow election officers, who he did not identify, why the discrepancy of the votes of GMA and those of FPJ. He was however told, as their common reply: "... they were instructed to do so: either zero or no figure at all (blank)."

This prompted him to inform the KNP headquarters of this and asked for an investigator "to check the massive irregularities in the municipal election returns," he said.

Few days later, probers came and then governor now congressman Rene Relampagos instructed him to meet at a hotel in this city the investigating team consisting of an Army general, a Muslim and a lawyer, whose names he could no longer remember. After the meeting he executed a sworn statement and he "promised willingness to testify should there be congressional inquiry in the future," Doblas said in his affidavit.

Relampagos, then head of the LDP Bohol but reportedly coalesced with KNP, lost to then governor now congressman Erico Aumetado (2nd Dist) in his rebid for governor in 2004.

Doblas said he gathered evidences of SOV and ERs in the towns of Pilar, Sierra-Bullones, Carmen, Batuan, Bilar and Loboc, all of interior towns, believed to where the fraudulent elections results took place. These evidences that were brought to Manila himself showed the irregularities, he said.

"Mr. Tambayoyong, NBI fingerprint expert, showed and proved the existence of rampant election fraud when seen under the naked eyes, SOVs are clear but when placed under U. V. (ultraviolet) light and on wider screen, pink markings were seen at GMA's score and blue markings were for Noli De Castro, signifying dagdag operations were effected," Doblas said in his affidavit.

After that, FPJ's brother Conrad Poe offered him security under the government protection program in the event of congressional inquiry, he said, adding that he returned home while waiting for a call from Horacio Morales, the former point man of FPJ's KNP or Harriette Demetriou, "but to no avail."

BPI Bank-Manila rob suspects nabbed in Aklan

CATICLAN, MALAY, AKLAN -- Three suspected members of syndicate allegedly involved in the BPI Bank Manila robbery hold-up were arrested at the Jetty Port of Caticlan in Malay, Aklan Wednesday (August 17).

The suspects were identified as Gil Sanblacino, alias Jerry, 45 yrs old, married and native of Tangub City; John Carl Manisan Vergara, alias Francisco Gumanay/Kokoy Gumanay, 30, married and native of Villa Leyson in Talamban, Cebu City; and Aima Gaye Marish Badana, 23, single and native of Tambulig, Zambuanga Del Sur. 

Joint elements of Coast Guard Caticlan, Special Operations Group of the Philippine National Police based in Malay, Aklan and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of National Capital Region apprehended the suspects after they got down the RORO vessel they boarded from Mindoro.

Authorities said the suspects, who were alleged members of the Ampang Colangco group, were also involved in gun for hire activities.

Vergara and Sanblacino were immediately brought in Manila via RORO by apprehending personnel of CIDG Manila while Marish Badana, after she was interrogated by the CIDG, was turned-over to the Women and Children Concerns Office of the Aklan Police Provincial Office. – May Joven (THE FREEMAN)