Ex-poll chief Abalos brought to SPD headquarters after surrender

Following his surrender and arrest Tuesday, former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos, who is accused of poll fraud, was brought to the Southern Police District headquarters in Taguig City where he will be detained. Abalos rode his own sport-utility vehicle, which was part of a convoy, to the SPD headquarters from the Pasay City police headquarters, radio dzBB's Sam Nielsen reported. The convoy got stuck in traffic during the transfer, the report said. Before that, Abalos underwent standard booking procedures — including having his fingerprints and mug shots taken — at Pasay City Police headquarters' Criminal Investigation Division. Abalos surrendered to the Pasay City RTC shortly after the court issued a warrant for his arrest for electoral sabotage in connection with the alleged irregularities in the 2007 midterm elections. He has repeatedly denied the accusation. Before proceeding to the SPD from the Pasay City Police headquarters, Abalos addressed his supporters and asked them not to worry. "Chairman Ben mahal ka namin," the dzBB report quoted Abalos' supporters as saying. Abalos was appointed Comelec chairman in 2002 by Mrs. Arroyo. He resigned in October 2007 after he was linked to a multimillion dollar corruption issue involving a national broadband project by the government with a Chinese firm. In October this year, a government task  force recommended that several personalities linked to alleged 2007 poll fraud be subjected to preliminary investigation. — KBK, GMA News