De Lima: Arroyo won’t be spared if evidence links her to poll fraud

Former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will not be spared of poll fraud charges if evidence links her to the rigging of votes during the 2004 and 2007 elections, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said Thursday. The Department of Justice will “carefully" evaluate evidence to be presented to them regarding the manipulation of votes in these elections to be able to build strong cases against officials behind it, De Lima said. “Kung may ebidensya against the former President, against former officials of the Comelec, against former officials of government na may kinalaman sa dayaan na ‘yan, iyan ang dapat kasuhan," she told reporters Thursday. She added that she has yet to receive the sworn statements of former Maguindanao poll supervisor Lintang Bendol and three other local election officials on the alleged cheating four years ago. Officials of the Justice Department, the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Commission on Elections will meet next week on how to proceed with the probe, according to De Lima. Vote-padding According to Bedol’s affidavit, Arroyo “ordered" him to pad the votes garnered by the administration senatorial candidates and nullify the votes for the opposition senatorial bets in Maguindanao during the 2007 polls. The former poll official on Tuesday surrendered to authorities, and was detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame. A former election lawyer, De Lima likewise said she thinks former Elections Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano can “say a lot of things" about the alleged manipulation of votes during the 2004 elections if he decides to surface and talk. “Si Garci, alam natin na marami siyang pwedeng ishare. Ito ‘yung may reputasyon bilang election operator. Marami syang pwedeng masabi," she said. Taped conversations between two people — supposedly Garcillano and Arroyo — discussing in detail the manipulation of votes in 2004, came out six years ago, rocking the past administration. PNP chief: Strict rules for Bedol Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Raul Bacalzo meanwhile said that Bedol is doing “okay" inside his detention cell at the PNP Custodial Center in Quezon City. He said that Bedol must heed the “strict" rules imposed inside the facility. “We have the facility for Lintang Bedol, but he has to follow the custodial rules and regulations. Okay naman siya, but he has to follow our strict rules, particularly in terms of visitors," Bacalzo said in a separate interview. The PNP chief, however, assured that all of Bedol’s rights are being observed. “I would like to ensure him that he is entitled to his rights, including his right to councel, family visits, and medical assistance. Puwede ‘yun under the law but subject to some rules," he said. — VS, GMA News