News Release

July 16, 2011

Spare no one from poll fraud probe – Bayan

The umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said that the Aquino government should spare no one in the election fraud probe, and include those who not only aided in cheating but also covered up the fraud.

“The probe on the 2004 elections should not be just aimed at establishing the real winner of the polls. The probe should seek accountability for those who engaged in wholesale cheating and those who abetted and covered-up the massive fraud. The crime is so grave that it will take more than an ‘I’m sorry’ for Arroyo to get off the hook,” said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.

“The poll fraud of 2004 was a grand conspiracy involving the national leadership, the Comelec and various government agencies including the military and police. The fraud consisted not only of vote padding through fake ballots and election paraphernalia, but also included bribery, wiretapping, ballot box-switching operations, and the silencing of efforts to uncover the truth,” Reyes added.

Bayan said that the fraud-tainted 2004 election was well-documented and that there were various efforts to investigate the cheating and cover-up that happened.

“Under the Arroyo regime, all avenues for uncovering the truth were shut down. Arroyo derailed the impeachment proceedings in Congress and put up roadblocks at the Comelec, Ombudsman and the Department of Justice. All our efforts then were hindered by GMA,” Reyes said.

“Six years since the ‘Garci’ scandal broke out, Congress, Comelec, the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice are now in a position to do their job and resume the probe into the 2004 ‘Garci’ scandal. The probe should also include the AFP and PNP and the so-called ‘Garci’ generals who were engaged in fraud and cover-up at different levels,” he added.

The group said that there is no dearth of evidence or testimony in relation the allegations of poll fraud. “Previous congressional hearings, the impeachment proceedings and even the Citizens Congress for Truth and Accountability (CCTA) all worked to document and uncover the truth about the 2004 elections. Various investigative journalists have also dug deep to reveal the perpetrators of cheating,” Reyes said.

“What is needed now is political will and decisiveness on the part of the executive to pursue charges against the masterminds of the cheating and cover-up,” Reyes added. ###