Former Maguindanao election supervisor Lintang Bedol, in an interview with ABS-CBN’s Anthony Taberna said that investigation in the 2004 election fraud should look into the supposed ballot box-switching at the House of Representatives.
“Importante masyado iyun to find out whether or not nagkaroon nga tayo ng totoong presidente o hindi,” Bedol said. “Kasi doon, meron movement of ballot boxes. Sa tingin, ko baka switching yan. Pag switching yan, fake naman … ngayon kung mga peke ang dokumento e siguro may pekeng presidente … yan ang gusto kong patunayan.”
I’m reposting here the two-part special report on that subject I did for VERA Files on July 28 and 29, 2008.
SAF commandos confirm 2004 poll fraud coverup
(First of two parts)
When Gloria Macapagal Arroyo delivers her eighth State of the Nation Address at the Batasang Pambansa session hall today, she will be standing close to where, three years ago, police commandos say they replaced genuine election returns (ERs) with fake ones in ballot boxes that were being readied for a recount of the 2004 presidential election.
The ER switching at the Batasan had been talked about and reported on since 2005, when Arroyo apologized for talking to an election official while the votes were being counted, in what has since been known as the “Hello, Garci” scandal.
Recently, some of those who took part in that clandestine operation have sought legal refuge, executing affidavits and taped testimonies of their involvement. Others told friends in confidence, while a few boasted about it in drinking sessions.