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Senators back Comelec's electoral sabotage case against Gloria Arroyo


Several senators on Friday backed the electoral sabotage case the Commission on Elections (Comelec) filed hours earlier against several respondents, including former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Although the timing of the filing was "suspect," it cannot be said that the case was railroaded by the Comelec, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said in a text message to reporters. "Be that as it may, let us not forget that the 2007 election was blatantly fraudulent at the behest of GMA and Comelec," he said. "Ako mismo ay biktima nun along with then senatorial candidate PNoy. I myself saw the manufactured ERs when I was a member of the SET [Senate Electoral Tribunal] hearing the protest of Sen. Koko. It is but right to make GMA and Abalos et al accountable," he added in his text message. The Lacson statement came after Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes admitted the case was filed to prevent Mrs. Arroyo from leaving the country. Brillantes noted the commission did not rush the deliberations on filing the case. In a text message to GMA News Online, Senator Francis Pangilinan said he believes that "there has been sufficient time to gather the needed evidence to build a case." In a separate text message, Senator Francis Escudero also told GMA News Online that there is a "presumption of regularity" in the filing of the case against Mrs. Arroyo. "In so far as the Comelec is concerned, and it is up to GMA [Arroyo’s initials] to question it," he added. 'Solution to the crisis' However, the Comelec should have filed the case earlier, said Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. "This is the solution to the crisis. Sana nga kung mas maaga pa nila finile ‘yan, hindi na tayo umabot sa crisis na ‘to. Yan talaga ang dahilan," he said in a text message to reporters. Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court junked the DOJ motion to reconsider lifting the temporary restraining order (TRO) on the watch list orders against Mrs. Arroyo and her husband Jose Miguel. The SC should now recall its TRO, said Pangilinan. "The right to travel is not an absolute right and the filing of charges should now serve as basis to prevent Arroyo from leaving the country," he added. If a warrant of arrest and a hold departure order were issued against Mrs. Arroyo, then they wouldn't have a problem anymore, Escudero said. "It will render moot the whole issue...and diffuse the possibility of a constitutional crisis," he said. But Senator Edgardo Angara said it would appear "much of a harassment" if the court where the electoral sabotage case was filed would immediately issue a hold departure order. "Tingnan n’yo — overall lang — alam ko maraming galit kay Gloria at maraming sympathetic sa kanya... pero pag ang issue na kung susunod ka o hindi sa ruling ng pinakamataas na husgado, nag-iba na complexion ng issue, parang defiance na of your highest court," he told reporters in an interview on Friday. — VS, GMA News

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