How votes were reportedly manipulated in Maguindanao
This is an excerpt from a news report by the Philippine Inquirer.
“…a public school teacher involved in Maguindanao canvassing disclosed how votes were manipulated in the province to achieve a 12-0 sweep for the TEAM Unity.
Medina said the female teacher claimed that armed guards watched over her and other colleagues as they were forced to fill up blank ballots with the names of administration senatorial candidates on the eve of the elections, starting with Luis “Chavit” Singson and Prospero Pichay.
Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos on Monday described the report as “very alarming,” saying the claim “makes it seem that the entire system is under attack.”
But Abalos urged the whistleblowers to provide proofs to back up their claims.
“It’s very easy to make allegations. These allegations must be supported by evidence,” said Abalos.
He said the Comelec would not simply discard the certificates of canvass from Maguindanao “on the say-so of one person, hiding under the cloak of immunity.”
Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, officer in charge in ARMM, said he would summon ARMM regional director Rey Sumalipao and Maguindanao provincial election supervisor Lintang Bedol to shed light on the issue.
Abalos said a task force, headed by Sarmiento, has been formed to look into the alleged poll fraud.
The two election officials also asked the National Movement for Free Elections and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting to help verify the claim.”
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