Palace distances from poll fraud probe

Malacañang has adopted a hands-off policy on the probe to be conducted by the Department of Justice and the Commission on Elections against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in connection with alleged electoral fraud in 2004 and 2007. "We are not privy to the deliberations going on in the task force. Hands off po ang Malacañang diyan dahil ina-appreciate pa nila, ini-evaluate pa ‘yung mga ebidensya," presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said at a press briefing Thursday. "Let’s wait for that. Hinihintay rin namin ang resulta ng investigation nila," he added. On Monday, former Maguindanao provincial administrator Norie Unas, the former right hand man of then-Maguindanao Gov. Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr., claimed that he heard former President Arroyo instruct his boss to "make" the results of the May 2007 elections in Maguindanao 12-0 in favor of the administration senatorial bets. "When the President was about to exit from the hall as she was shaking hands with several participants, the President signaled Datu Andal to a corner and I heard the President told again Datu Andal: ‘Dapat 12-0 sa Maguindanao, kahit pa ayusin o palitan niyo ang resulta’, [to] which the Governor answered: ‘Opo Ma’am,’" Unas said in his nine-page affidavit. Unas claimed that Andal Sr. committed to deliver a 12-0 sweep for Mrs. Arroyo’s Team Unity senatorial slate 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 Team Unity won. The camp of Mrs. Arroyo has since denied Unas' allegation. Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said that aside from the revelations of Unas, the evidence from 15 poll officials assigned in Maguindanao in 2007 will show the scale of the cheating done. Health condition Asked on the possibility that the Arroyos might use their health condition to evade detention, Lacierda said such request will be subject to the discretion of the court. "Once it’s filed with the court, we know that we’re all hands off na pagdating doon. It’s now with the jurisdiction of the courts, they determine for themselves as to the veracity of the claims of the defendants," he said. Lacierda stressed that there will be no special treatment to the Arroyos if ever they will be ordered detained by the courts. "That’s why we have reformed the New Bilibid Prison. We'll make sure that there’s the equal protection clause so that nobody would be given special treatment in any case," Lacierda said. — RSJ/ELR, GMA News