MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/29 November) – Resigned senator Juan Miguel Zubiri today maintained he took no part in the alleged cheating in the 2007 senatorial elections.
“Once again my detractors launched a demolition job against me. I would like to categorically say that all those statements are lies and are out to destroy all the goodwill that we have done for the people. First of all, I will never tolerate cheating and I resigned from my post precisely because I will never accept a win like that,” Zubiri said in a statement.
“Second is that I have no cousin named Rudy or Alex which goes to show the lies they are peddling and third the timing is suspect since a new major survey has come out last week that we were in magic 8, and so my detractors are moving heaven and earth to discredit me,” he added.
Zubiri was referring to the statement of Ahmad Mamucao, a former information officer of former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., that a relative of his named Rudy had taken part in the alleged plot to rig the results of the 2007 senatorial elections.
Mamucao testified today before the Senate committee on electoral reforms chaired by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who protested Zubiri’s victory and was eventually sworn in as senator after Zubiri resigned.
Mamucao said in the same hearing that he personally heard former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo order a 12-0 sweep in favor of the administration’s senatorial ticket.
The witness said that Arroyo’s political officer Bong Serrano, whom he met in Malacanang sometime in April 2007, told him after he returned to Cotabato City from the Palace meeting to proceed to Maramag, Bukidnon, and meet “Alex” and “Rudy”.
Mamucao said Rudy is a first cousin of Zubiri.
Zubiri appeared in the Senate hearing to deny the allegations he was part of the cheating, and to say he has no relatives named Alex or Rudy.
He told the committee he would have manipulated the results in Bukidnon if he wanted to cheat, adding Pimentel III even landed on the top 12 in his province. (MindaNews)
