Cayetano pushes for continuance of 2004 and 2007 poll fraud Senate inquiry

Press Release
August 3, 2012

PASAY CITY  –  Senate minority leader Alan Peter Cayetano called for the continuance of the Senate inquiry into the alleged 2004 and 2007 poll fraud in response to the granting of the bail petition of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in relation to the electoral sabotage raps she is currently facing.

He pointed out that while the Senate’s main function is not to prosecute cases, its investigations do tend to produce facts that can be used for prosecution that will help move the wheels of justice in the country.

“Look at the plunder case against the former President filed in the Sandiganbayan. Almost all the evidence used to mount that case was taken from the Senate investigation. We produce results,” he said.

The senator said that he has informally talked to Senator Aquilino Pimentel III asking him to continue the Senate inquiry into the alleged poll fraud.

“Our job is to find the truth in aid of legislation. We need to get the facts. We cannot change, amend or strengthen the law if we don’t know what really happened. Based on that, we can make recommendations,” he said.

The minority leader lamented the fact that the joint panel’s investigation into the issue has yet to yield results saying he was “a bit dissatisfied with the results of their investigation”.

“Remember, the result we want here is not to point fingers at who cheated or not. If no one cheated, then let’s be honest with ourselves to say that no one cheated. But if someone did, we should determine who they are and how they did it,” he said.

Cayetano stressed that with the 2013 midterm elections looming on the horizon, the Senate’s inquiry is more urgently needed.

“The automation in 2010 was so important because it made it hard for election operators to sell their trade. This is why we have to make sure now that the PCOS machines will not be tampered with. But that’s only safeguarding the election itself. Cheating happens before, during and after the elections,” he said.