Palace warns of political firestorm over fraud raps
By Aytch S. de la Cruz 05/21/2010 The Palace raised yesterday the possibility of a “political firestorm” similar to that generated by the Hello Garci scandal in 2005 that led to calls for Arroyo to step down, as allegations of electronic fraud in the recently held polls on May 10 build up. In the Hello Garci scandal President Arroyo was caught on tape rigging the results of the 2004 elections with former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano. The disclosures made by an anonymous witness recently claiming that votes were digitally rigged in some areas to favor certain candidates in this year’s national polls, were patterned similarly with the 2004 polls cheating allegations, Palace officials noted. Deputy presidential spokesman Ricardo Saludo advised lawmakers in Congress to prioritize the canvassing of votes for the top two highest public positions in the land so as not to delay the ‘final act’ of President Arroyo’s so-called legacy: the transition of her government to the next administration. Saludo cautioned the media and the general public not to get ‘caught up’ in the so-called “Hocus PCOS” fraud allegations to avoid similar events that arose from the ‘Hello Garci’ scandal. “I remember back in 2004, there were electoral fraud issues being raised during the canvassing and while it is fine to perhaps give them some level of attention, you know, our feeling is that it would be dangerous to allow that to delay the whole process because there is a constitutional deadline to actually proclaim and move on to a new leadership,” Saludo told reporters. Saludo expressed concern the issue may develop into a political firestorm that could bring the public’s trust in the future election proceedings into a state of irreparable loss. Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100521hed3.html |
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