Poll officials, AFP and PNP being bribed to rig elections — DND chief

Philippine defense chief Norberto Gonzales has revealed that officials from the Commission on Elections, the military and police are being bribed to rig the coming May 10 polls, and that at least two presidential bets stand to benefit from it. "I’m telling you that some money is being distributed to some Comelec officials already these days. There will be cheating in the coming elections," Gonzales said at the Bishops-Ulama Conference in Davao City on Wednesday night. Gonzales said he got the information on bribery attempts two to three days ago from a poll official whom he refused name. He added that even officials of the Armed Forces and the National Police are currently being handed money to cheat in the upcoming elections. "It seems to be that the noble effort of our men and women in uniform are not being respected. There will be attempts to (bribe) our Armed Forces and police officials. There will be, and it has begun," he said. To benefit two candidates? In a later interview, Gonzales said at least two presidential candidates stand to benefit from the bribery and the planned cheating in the May polls. Asked if it is the camp of Nacionalista Party (NP) standard bearer Manuel Villar Jr. that is involved in the bribery, Gonzales answered: "I think you’re all guessing it wrong." When further pressed if the two presidential candidates he was referring to were Liberal Party's Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and administration bet Gilberto Teodoro Jr., the defense secretary said: "Mahirap ‘yang ganyang tanong. (That question is quite difficult to answer.)" In the conference, Gonzales identified the Southern Tagalog region as one of the areas where bribery attempts are currently taking place. He, however, implied that most Comelec officials who were offered bribes refused to take the money, since they "hate" being bribed. "Something good is happening these days. Many officials in the Comelec hate being bribed," he said. Cases to be filed Gonzales also vowed that the Armed Forces, which he has placed at the full disposal of the Comelec, will do its best to counter the cheating. At the same time, Gonzales bared that "concerned authorities" are now in the process of documenting the bribery attempts, and "will file cases hopefully before the elections." "I do not want to preempt it," he said when asked to identify those involved. "I have just mentioned it here for the officials to be aware, that as in other elections, cheating has always been active," he said. — with Andreo Calonzo/RSJ/KBK, GMANews.TV