President Benigno Aquino III has described as an “insult” to the Liberal Party allegations of election fraud being linked to them, considering their standard bearer Manuel Roxas II lost in the May 9 elections.
“Mar Roxas lost. It’s like saying that we were responsible. I do not understand if this is an insult, you were accused of cheating, then you lost, it’s something like that. So why must we even spend time on this?” said Aquino during a one-on-one interview with GMA News.
Aquino said he does not want to waste his time paying attention to the accusations of three witnesses who exposed a supposed poll-rigging operation in the vote-rich province of Quezon to favor Roxas and his running mate Vice President-elect Leni Robredo.
The whistleblowers, who hid behind scarves and sunglasses, were accompanied to meet with several senators on Monday by Council of Philippine Affairs secretary-general Pastor Boy Saycon.
“You know, if Boy Saycon talks, it’s as if I do not want to make a comment. Do you have proof? It is the obligation of the one accusing to prove it. Prove it by showing proof of your accusation,” Aquino said.
“And we have the corresponding branches of government that would tackle if there is evidence and if there are complaints filed,” Aquino also said.
The witnesses surfaced on the same day that Congress, convened as the National Board of Canvassers, proclaimed President-elect Rodrigo Duterte and Robredo.
One of them claimed that the operation was done in a building in Quezon where computers and vote counting machines were used. He said Smartmatic personnel were onsite to help in the operations.
The witness, identified as Bert, said that the “dagdag-lipat” operation caused 400,000 votes to be added to Roxas’ tally and 300,000 to Robredo’s total.
His claim, however, does not add up as Roxas only received 205,791 votes in Quezon while Robredo got 385,164.
