Comelec chief: Subpoena vs Arroyo looms over 'poll fraud'

Now that it has an affidavit "implicating" her, the Commission on Elections may summon former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo to air her side over allegations that she "ordered" cheating in at least one past election. But Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said Wednesday they will have to get added statements and "clarifications" from the man who implicated Arroyo – former Maguindanao election supervisor Lintang Bedol. "Nababanggit kasi si Mrs. Arroyo sa affidavit ni Bedol at ni Ampatuan. Whether true or not, this is what we are going to determine in a formal investigation," Brillantes said in an interview on dwIZ radio. Asked if summoning Arroyo is inevitable, Brillantes said: "Puwede na. Puwede namin siya i-subpoena para ibigay niya ang side niya kung merong ebidensya against her." He also said Bedol's statements, once given the proper clarifications, may be enough to launch a formal investigation. Those found guilty of electoral sabotage face life imprisonment without any prospect of bail, he added. "Now that Bedol is pointing to some personalities, we are interested in determining who ordered, planned and financed the cheating so we can go after them," Brillantes said. But in a separate interview on dzBB, Brillantes said he was "not convinced" of the things Bedol mentioned in his statements, at least if it does not have the proper clarifications. "Personally I'm not convinced of all the things mentioned; maraming (there are so many) hearsay statements. It's not enough for me to go to a formal investigation," he said. According to him, Bedol had linked Arroyo to supposed cheating in the 2007 elections, where at least three opposition senatorial candidates got zero votes in Maguindanao. Bedol also mentioned Arroyo "in passing" in alleged irregularities in the 2004 elections, he added. In both cases, however, he said Bedol's initial statements are considered more of hearsay, adding the Comelec will need to have Bedol clarify or bolster his statements. Brillantes said a Comelec team was to visit Bedol at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame to have him clarify his statements. According to the Comelec chief, Comelec lawyers spent Tuesday night analyzing Bedol's affidavit and those of three "witnesses" who supposedly bolstered his claims. "Sa initial na pag-review namin sa affidavit, hindi ito kumpleto... he was referring more to the details of alleged 2007 poll fraud. Wala siyang binabanggit sa 2004 elections. Ang sabi lang niya, baka meron din siyang hawak na dokumento. Kung gusto niya i-supplement sa affidavit ang mga iyan para ma-cover lahat ang gusto niyang sabihin," he said. "His statements were hearsay and very broad, like saying Gloria talked to [suspended Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Zaldy] Ampatuan who in turn talked to him. I think we have to make some clarifications before we can go to a formal investigation," he added. Seek Zaldy's statement Brillantes said the pol body will coordinate with Ampatuan's lawyers for a copy of his signed sworn statement linking Mrs. Arroyo to alleged cheating in the 2007 polls. He said he coordinated Tuesday with Department of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima but was told the DOJ did not have a signed affidavit of Ampatuan. "We'll try to get in touch with Ampatuan's lawyer... probably we will get a copy of the (signed) affidavit so we can see the connection between the statements of Bedol and Ampatuan," he said. Meanwhile, Brillantes said the Comelec has no objection to Arroyo being placed on the immigration watch list, although he said the former President is now under tight scrutiny. "Right now tama na ang ilagay siya watch list. Yung hold departure order saka nalang yun, wala pa naman siyang kaso... pero nababantayan siya at nakatutok naman lahat sa kanya ngayon," he said. Bedol's affidavit focused on the 2007 election where he said the cheating extended to "hanggang kataas-taasan na former President, FG, at sa mga Ampatuan sa Maguindanao (the highest to the president, the First Gentleman, and the Ampatuans)," Brillantes said. Still, he said the initial affidavit linking these personalities are only "hearsay" for now. Meanwhile, Arroyo’s camp continues to deny any involvement in the alleged cheating. “Normal lamang siguro na reaction ‘yan ng mga [nag-aakalang] sila ay na-agrabyado ng nakaraang labanan sa pulitika… We’ll just leave it at that," said Atty. Raul Lambino, Arroyo’s legal counsel. Arroyo's camp will not be attending any hearings by the Senate or House of Representatives. Also it said Bedol’s surrender is a ploy by the current administration and that Bedol forged an agreement with the current administration to reduce his prison time. Meanwhile, Brillantes said should the probe into cheating in 2004 show the late Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ) won, the Comelec cannot undo Arroyo's proclamation. Accroding to him , the Comelec "cannot be interested in the counting anymore. Arroyo's 2004-2010 term had ended and FPJ had passed away. If there was cheating, the only thing we can do is unmask the perpetrators and jail them." "If the evidence warrants, we cannot annul Arroyo's proclamation in 2004 but we can say there was cheating and prosecute the perpetrators criminally," he added. — LBG, GMA News