Akbayan Party today welcomed the joint Department of Justice (DOJ)-Commission on Elections (Comelec) fact-finding team's recommendation to begin the preliminary investigation pertaining to the 2004 and 2007 elections cheating.
The fact-finding team recommended to the DOJ-Comelec Preliminary Investigation team the filing of election sabotage cases against former President and Pampanga Representative Gloria Arroyo, former COMELEC Chairman Benjamin Abalos, former COMELEC Commisioner Nicodemo Ferrer, former Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and Lintang Bedol.
Akbayan Party Spokesperson Risa Hontiveros called the recommendation as a “major breakthrough” in efforts to make former president Arroyo and her cohorts accountable for the election cheating in 2004 and 2007.
“Arroyo and her co-conspirators in election sabotage are now going to pay for their crimes. This is definitely a major breakthrough in our efforts to end the culture of corruption in this country,” according to Hontiveros.
2011 year of justice
The former partylist lawmaker also said that the Aquino government owes it to the people to ensure that 2011 will be the year that justice is served to Arroyo. She added that President Aquino must finish this fight against corruption in order to reform for the country.
“This year must be the year of justice. This should be the year when Ms. Arroyo and her cabal of election saboteurs are formally charged and put behind bars by the Aquino government,” Hontiveros said.
Hontiveros said that 2011 must also be remembered as "the year of breaking from a corrupt past."
“We must end the culture of cynicism and corruption, which were the legacy of the previous administration. This year must bear witness to significant victories against corruption.”
Hontiveros made the statement after the DOJ, together with the COMELEC submitted its 5-chapter report looking into the alleged election rigging during the 2004 and 2007 national elections.
The report has recommended the start of possible election sabotage cases against former high-ranking officials. The report also recommends the filing of poll fraud charges against former president Arroyo for ordering former Maguindanao Gov. Datu Andal Ampatuan, Sr. to ensure a 12-0 election result in the province in favor of the Team Unity candidates of Arroyo and to change the election results if necessary. ###
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