MANILA — What is Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos up to now?
This was the question raised by election watchdog Kontra Daya after the Commission on Elections deferred the proclamation of the first nine winning senatorial candidates.
This flip-flopping of the Comelec reinforces the view that something is cooking in the canvassing of votes. Is the Comelec considering the canvassing of the Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur as enough to change the current standing of candidates? asked Kontra Daya convenor Fr. Joe Dizon.
Is the Comelec actually preparing the way for more Team Unity bets to barge into the winners circle? Dizon added.
Earlier in the week, the Comelec said it would proclaim the first nine winners in the Senatorial race, saying the that uncanvassed votes and the special elections in Lanao will not have a bearing on the standings of the race leaders.
Our biggest apprehension is that votes from Maguindanao will still be canvassed despite objections from the Opposition and despite valid claims of massive fraud in the province. We fear that the delay in the proclamation is meant to accommodate more votes in favor of the administration slate, Dizon said.
Candidates like Allan Cayetano may be slowly eased out of the winners circle. The same fate may probably awaits Antonio Trillanes and Koko Pimentel. The delay may be an attempt to get the last three GO bets out of the winner’s circle,” Dizon said.
Opposition groups and militant partylist formations have come out with new evidence saying that election returns were not canvassed in Maguindanao, thereby disputing the claim of a 12-0 administration sweep in the province.
Dizon also expressed concern that all of a sudden, Abalos is claiming that there are still four million votes left for canvassing.
That is a lot of leeway for fraud operators,” the activist priest said.
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2007 Elections
