Zubiri denies dousing contested ballots
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri has denied involvement in the tampering of ballots to be recounted by the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) in the fraud complaint lodged by losing senatorial candidate Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III in 2007.
“Right now, we are revising the precincts where I was cheated. Why would I cause the destruction of ballots that would prove I had been cheated? In fact, these ballots were opposition ballots,” Zubiri said in a statement on Monday.
Pimentel’s father, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr., said last week boxes containing ballots from San Pablo City, Quezon City and Malabon City were doused with water, rendering them unreadable and useless for the recount.
The Pimentels are members of the opposition.
“In instances where ballots were watered down or destroyed, the votes as they appear on the election returns will stand. Hence, the occurrence of the watered-down ballots is not beneficial to me,” Zubiri said.
He maintained the “watered down” ballots were “in favor of the opposition camp.”
Zubiri said he was joining the younger Pimentel in his call for an investigation, noting the former’s lawyers had filed with the SET a motion to investigate the incident and “other irregularities...all of which are detrimental to me.” Christine O. Avendaño
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TALLIES
| Escudero, Francis Joseph (GO) | 1,530,337 |
|---|---|
| Legarda, Loren (GO) | 1,445,355 |
| Aquino, Benigno Simeon III (GO) | 1,427,372 |
| Lacson, Panfilo (GO) | 1,315,961 |
| Pangilinan, Francis (IND) | 1,270,851 |
| Villar, Manuel Jr (GO) | 1,267,929 |
| Cayetano, Alan Peter (GO) | 1,097,065 |
| Arroyo, Joker (TU) | 1,046,152 |
| Angara, Edgardo (TU) | 999,396 |
| Trillanes, Antonio IV (GO) | 980,643 |
| Recto, Ralph (TU) | 971,250 |
| Zubiri, Juan Miguel (TU) | 957,930 |
| Legarda, Loren (GO) | 14,161,803 |
|---|---|
| Escudero, Francis Joseph (GO) | 13,919,444 |
| Lacson, Panfilo (GO) | 12,027,067 |
| Villar, Manuel Jr (GO) | 11,674,064 |
| Aquino, Benigno Simeon III (GO) | 11,107,999 |
| Pangilinan, Francis (IND) | 11,092,665 |
| Angara, Edgardo (TU) | 9,689,358 |
| Cayetano, Alan Peter (GO) | 9,030,748 |
| Honasan, Gregorio (IND) | 9,013,231 |
| Arroyo, Joker (TU) | 8,977,075 |
| Trillanes, Antonio IV (GO) | 8,710,648 |
| Pimentel, Aquilino III (GO) | 8,449,279 |
| Legarda, Loren (GO) | 18,352,290 |
|---|---|
| Escudero, Francis Joseph (GO) | 18,095,757 |
| Lacson, Panfilo (GO) | 15,442,480 |
| Villar, Manuel Jr (GO) | 15,192,880 |
| Pangilinan, Francis (IND) | 14,415,704 |
| Aquino, Benigno Simeon III (GO) | 14,234,979 |
| Angara, Edgardo (TU) | 12,404,138 |
| Cayetano, Allan Peter (GO) | 11,736,410 |
| Arroyo, Joker (TU) | 11,550,655 |
| Honasan, Gregorio (IND) | 11,487,784 |
| Trillanes, Antonio IV (GO) | 11,138,067 |
| Pimentel, Aquilino III (GO) | 10,865,397 |
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