New witness to support '07 poll fraud claims of Unas

A new witness who will support the claims of former Maguindanao provincial administrator Norie Unas regarding alleged cheating during the 2007 polls will appear before the Senate next week, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Tuesday. "There’s another witness coming out [who] will corroborate ang sinabi ni Unas. Katunayan pati ang ibang details like ang pagkuha ng manufactured ERs sa Manila at dinala sa isang probinsya sa Mindanao prior to transporting it to Maguindanao," Lacson told reporters in an interview. On Monday, the Department of Justice and Commission on Elections presented Unas, who accused former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of ordering Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. to ensure the victory of administration senatorial bets in the province in the 2007 elections. Unas served with the Ampatuans from 2001 to 2009. He also served as Andal Sr.'s close adviser and spokesman. Andal Sr. and his three sons, Andal Jr., Zaldy, and Akhmad, are implicated in the November 23, 2009 massacre of 57 people in the province. A witness in the crime, Lakmudin Saliao, has told the Quezon City court hearing the massacre case that Unas was present at Andal Sr.'s mansion when the clan plotted the mass killings. 'Maneuvered' votes Unas had said that Andal Sr. was committed in delivering a 12-0 sweep for the Team Unity senatorial bets and allegedly enlisted the help of then Maguindanao election supervisor Lintang Bedol, who is also set to testify on alleged cheating in the 2007 polls. Maguindanao was the only province where all 12 senatorial bets from the Arroyo administration's Team Unity won. The alleged cheating benefited then candidate Juan Miguel Zubiri, who was declared the winner of the 12th Senate seat in 2007. In August this year, citing his desire to spend more time with his family, Zubiri relinquished his Senate seat. Weeks later, the Senate Electoral Tribunal declared Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III as the rightful winner of the 12th Senate slot. Lacson said the new witness, whom he refused to identify, will detail how they "maneuvered" the votes of the opposition candidates. "Detalyado. Kung saan kinuha ang fake ERs, kung saan trinansport, he said. The senator said the witness, who is supposedly part of the special operations team of the Ampatuans, chose to appear before the Senate poll fraud probe rather than the DOJ-Comelec panel. "Dito niya gusto pumunta eh. Ang mga witnesses may kanya-kanyang preference," he said. The Senate poll fraud probe will be headed jointly by the Senate blue ribbon and electoral reforms committees. Ready to face accusations Earlier in the day, lawyer Raul Lambino said Mrs. Arroyo and her husband, former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, are prepared to face the accusations hurled by Unas. "Haharapin nila yan. Madaling magsampa ng kaso, kahit sino pwede sampahan ng anumang kaso. Kahit na sino pwede ring lumabas bilang testigo at mag-imbento ng mga kwento (The Arroyos will face the accusations against them. But it is so easy to file charges and it is so easy to come out as a witness and make unfounded accusations)," Lambino said in an interview on dwIZ radio. — RSJ, GMA News