Loren: ‘May polls won’t be credible if I lose’

Genuine Opposition candidates Loren Legarda and Allan Peter Cayetano have revealed an alleged plot to rig the election results in the Visayas and Mindanao to ensure the victory of Team Unity senatorial candidates. Cayetano, in a speech before some 3,000 to 4,000 supporters in Dasmariñas, Cavite Wednesday night, said he received reports that the alleged “cheating machineries" that were used in the 2004 presidential election remain intact. He also said “election operators" at local levels were reportedly ordered to launch “negative campaign" against GO candidates and "positive campaign" for TU candidates. Legarda, who also attended the Dasmariñas rally, claimed that her opponents have re-launched vilification campaign against her through text messages and the Internet. It was learned that the text and electronic campaign discourages voters, particularly the teachers, from voting Legarda, citing her alleged anti-teacher proposals in the 12th Congress. “Natatakot ako dahil bagamat number one ako ay may mga impormasyon, balita na may mga nag-ooperate na… basta kung sino ang may kapangyarihan, kung sinong may pera ay siyang mag-ooperate (I’m worried even if I’m topping the survey because I received information that political operators are working against me)," Legarda told reporters covering GO sorties. She urged the public, the media and the opposition to be vigilant and to fight all forms of cheating to prevent the 2004 incident from happening. Legarda ran and lost to vice president Noli de Castro during the last elections, the result of which is now being contested by the lady senator at the Presidential Electoral Tribunal. She said the text and electronic messages claimed that Legarda had opposed measures to increase the salaries of teachers. “Obviously there's no such a bill. They made it up just like in 2004; they're recycling it now. Maybe it would be good to stress it, there is no such bill, I never filed a bill taking away teachers' salaries," Legarda said. “I know who's doing it, I know the group that's doing it," she said, adding that the only motive of the behind the smear campaign against her is to dislodge her from the top slot in the senatorial race. “They cannot dislodge me. Whatever they do, I have the people with me. I don't think it would be a credible election if I lose. I’m not bragging but it won't be a credible election," she added. Cayetano said Malacañang officials have been meeting local leaders “and they’ve been putting up parallel groups just like what they did in 2004." He also revealed that the Arroyo administration is offering a “bonus system" to those who could deliver votes for TU candidates. Cayetano said he doesn’t know how much is being given away as bonus because he is still verifying it. “We will reveal it not only when we have the amounts and when we have people who are willing to testify," Cayetano said. “Ang kanilang ginawang bonus system ay usual sa local pero first time ko narinig sa national (They give bonus system to local operators but now I heard they going to use it in the national level)," he said. “Una yung 12-0. ‘Pag nag 12-0 may bonus sila sa area nila (Those who will work for 12-0 will get bonuses)," he said. But the leaders admitted that no one would believe in the result of the elections if it would be 12 – 0. “So meron silang second bonus, yung 9-3. Then the last yung pag ako yung dinaya (Another option is 9-3. Then the last option is to ensure my defeat)," he said without elaborating. He said the GO is also now reviewing finances that were released by Malacañang since January until the first week of March. - GMANews.TV