Andal Sr belies poll fraud claims by son Zaldy, local exec

Former Maguindanao Governor and clan patriarch Andal Ampatuan Sr. has denied giving marching orders to rig the 2007 mid-term elections in favor of the senatorial candidates under the Arroyo administration ticket. In a four-page counter-affidavit submitted to the joint panel probing the supposed electoral sabotage in the 2007 polls, Ampatuan said none of the poll fraud allegations made by his son suspended Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Rizaldy Ampatuan and former Maguidnanao provincial administrator Norie Unas were true. The joint panel is composed of officials from the Department of Justice and the Commission on Elections. In his October 3 affidavit, Unas claimed being part of a Lakas-CMD party meeting in Malacañang attended by Ampatuan, party officials, senatorial candidates under "Team Unity" and former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo a few days before the May 2007 elections. Also, Unas claimed that in the said meeting, Ampatuan reportedly assured Mrs. Arroyo that Maguindanao was an "extension" of the former President's hometown of Pampanga, adding that Mrs. Arroyo also instructed Ampatuan to rig the results of the elections and ensure a "12-0" victory for the 12 senatorial bets of the administration. "Walang katotohonan ang nabanggit na pag-uutos at hindi ako pinagsabihan ni GMA [Gloria Macapagal Arroyo] na baguhin ang resulta ng halalan sa dahilang siguradong-sigurado ang [dating] Pangulo sa katapatan at pagpanalo ko at ng mga kasama ko na pawang walang kalaban na tumatakbo noong panahon na yon, sa mga bayan man o sa lalawigan ng Maguindanao," Ampatuan said in his counter-affidavit. The clan patriarch described Unas' statements as "kathang-isip at hindi kapani-paniwala (product of imagination and unbelievable). "Kung sakali mang nanalo ang mga kandidato para sa Senado ng 'Team Unity,' ito ay sa kadahilanan lamang na matibay ang paniniwala ng mga ka-partido ko sa mga nagawa na at magagawa pa ng mga ito," Ampatuan added. He also belied Unas' claim that a day after the meeting in Malacañang, they met with Mrs. Arroyo's husband, former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, in the latter's office. In the meeting, Mr. Arroyo allegedly also gave the same order to Ampatuan to deliver a "12-0" victory. Mr. Arroyo also reportedly told Ampatuan to ensure that "Cayetano does not get any votes." The Cayetano Ampatuan was referring to is believed to be Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, a staunch critic of the Arroyo administration. "Hindi maaaring mangyari ang nasabing miting at pag-uusap sa dahilang hindi ako kumukuha ng mga utos, at wala din akong maaaring maging relasyon kay FG (First Gentleman)," Ampatuan said. The patriarch said the only party officials he had been able to speak with are then party secretary-general Gabriel Claudio and then Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita. Ampatuan said an order from the Arroyo couple was unnecessary, "sa dahilang hindi ito kailangan sa aming lalawigan na tapat at sumusunod sa bilin ko at ng partido na siyang sumusuporta at bumubuhay sa pagtaguyod ng aking lalawigan." Ampatuan also denied later a gathering of all local officials in Maguindanao, including former poll supervisor Lintang Bedol, to relay Mrs. Arroyo's order to deliver a 12-0 victory. Ampatuan said Unas could not have possibly attended all the meetings with Ampatuan due to Unas' poor health condition. "Ito rin ang dahilan kung bakit imposible na masasabi at maririnig ni Unas ang mga usapan at kanyang paglahok sa mga miting sa Malacanang o sa mga kandidato sa lalawigan, sapagka't siya ay mahina ang katawan at parating humihingi ng pahintulot na hindi na lang sasama sa malalayong lakad dahil siya ay hinihingal," Ampatuan said. Ampatuan also took a pot shot at his own son, Zaldy, who earlier signified his interest to volunteer his knowledge about supposed poll fraud in Maguidanao during the 2007 elections. "Ang mga nasabi ukol dito ng aking anak na si ARMM Governor Datu Zaldy 'Puti' Uy Ampatuan, ay hindi totoo," the elder Ampatuan said. "Maaaring ginagaya lamang ni Unas ang nauna nang sinabi ni Zaldy ukol sa diumanong pag-uutos sa akin ni FG," Ampatuan said. Ampatuan Sr. and son Andal Jr. are facing murder charges in connection with the Maguindanao massacre on November 23, 2009 that left 58 people dead, including 32 journalists, one of them remains missing to this day. The Ampatuan patriarch is included in the list of people the Comelec ordered charged on Friday for the alleged 2007 poll fraud scandal. — LBG, GMA News