Zambales guv ready to answer poll fraud claims

ZAMBALES (Updated 2:22 p.m.) -- Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and now Zambales Governor Hermogenes Ebdane on Friday said he is ready to face allegations of 2005 election returns (ERs) switching "in a proper forum."

"I will wait for the proper forum to answer allegations directed at my person. I'm yet to receive any pertinent documents," he said in a press conference.

Ebdane said he will abide by legal processes to respond PNP Senior Superintendent Rafael Santiago's allegation that he was one of the major perpetrators about the ERs switching.

Earlier, Santiago implicated Ebdane, veteran election lawyer Roque Bello, and then Special Action Force Director Marcelino Franco as the alleged perpetrators of the fraud.

The said switching of ERs happened inside the Batasan Pambansa building, according to Santiago. He said it was to ensure that then President Arroyo would be proclaimed winner in the presidential elections in case of a recount.

Arroyo's lead over his opponent in the 2004 presidential elections -- the late Fernando Poe Jr. -- was more than one million votes.

Santiago said the ERs were stolen at the Batasan Pambansa building and were replaced with fake ones. The four break-ins occurred on separate occasions in January and February 2005.

Ebdane and Bello earlier denied the allegations, saying they have no knowledge of the reported ERs switching.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima earlier said many more witnesses are willing to testify in the joint investigation on the allegations of vote fraud in the 2004 and 2007 elections.

She hinted that among the possible resource persons in the joint probe are former and current Commission on Elections employees or officials, and former and current government employees. (Sunnex)