Mike Arroyo wants probe of 2007 poll fraud suspended

Former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo on Monday said the inquiry on alleged fraud in the 2007 polls should be suspended because the Supreme Court (SC) has yet to decide on his petition questioning the legality of the probe. Mr. Arroyo, through his lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, said the preliminary investigation on the alleged electoral fraud should be deferred while awaiting the SC ruling on his camp's petition. “All that we are asking for is common decency and recognition of the most elementary courtesy which we believe the DOJ (Department of Justice) and the Comelec (Commission on Election) owes to the Supreme Court," Mr. Arroyo said. On Friday, Mr. Arroyo filed a 67-page petition for certiorari prohibition with prayer for the issuance of a temporary restraining order on the probe. The DOJ-Comelec panel wants Mr. Arroyo investigated for possible involvement in the alleged poll fraud. However, Mr. Arroyo said said the probe is trampling upon his right to a fair proceeding conducted by an independent and impartial tribunal. Instrument for persecution Mr. Arroyo said if the probe will continue even though he has a pending petition before the SC, it will mean that the joint panel “is merely acting on orders from a higher power for it to become a dummy instrumentality for persecution and oppression." “If the joint committee refuses to suspend its proceedings even in the face of a constitutional challenge against it before the Supreme Court, it can only mean that it is not interested in truth and justice," he said. Meanwhile, Mr. Arroyo also dared Senator Aquilino “Koko" Pimentel III, who filed an electoral sabotage complaint against him last month, to “exercise statesmanship" by joining the call for the suspension of the joint probe. The joint DOJ-Comelec preliminary investigation committee is scheduled to conduct on Monday its first hearing on electoral sabotage case filed by Pimentel. The preliminary investigation will be conducted after the joint committee’s fact-finding arm found probable cause to probe Mr. Arroyo’s wife, former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, along with 40 others. Mrs. Arroyo is being accused of giving instructions to rig poll results in Maguindanao to ensure the victory of administration senatorial candidates during her incumbency in 2007. - VVP, GMA News