Palace: Ex-cop’s poll fraud exposé a ‘breakthrough’

Malacañang on Thursday vowed to assess and evaluate the revelations of former police officer Rafael Santiago regarding the alleged switching of election returns (ERs) during the 2004 elections to ensure the victory of then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. “As in any recent revelations made, we’re going to wait for the affidavits, assess and evaluate the testimonies and the affidavits of the people who made those revelations," presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said at a press briefing. Santiago reportedly claimed that he was part of a special operation carried out in January 2005 where he and several other policemen stole about 6,000 original ERs that were stored at the Batasan Pambansa building, the office of the House of Representatives. He said the original ERs were then replaced with fake ones so that Mrs. Arroyo would still emerge as the winner should there be a recount of votes for the position of president. Santiago reportedly claimed the operation was funded by Arroyo’s husband, Jose Miguel “Mike" Arroyo. Santiago’s revelations were bared to the public by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, to whom Santiago shared the information. Lacierda said Santiago’s revelations could be considered as “breakthrough." “The fact that these people perpetrated that break-in themselves and they decided to come out is a breakthrough for the case," he said. In a statement, Philippine National Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. said they would provide security to Santiago, who has sought to be placed under the custody of the government’s Witness Protection Program. Lacierda said De Lima will advice Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo as to what actions will be recommended toward the policemen involved in the supposed break-in who are still in active service. Asked if the case is worth prioritizing, Lacierda said it will depend on the Department of Justice as Malacañang does not want to politicize the issue. “We would not like to politicize the whole situation. This was not solicited, walang feelers na ibinigay sa amin," he said. – KBK, GMA News