Drilon urges UNA to concede

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Franklin Drilon challenged the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) to come out with a statement conceding victory to Team PNoy to end once and for all the questions raised on the integrity of the recently concluded midterm elections.

Speaking at a forum at the Senate yesterday, Drilon downplayed the conspiracy theories on the manipulation of election results, including one that claimed 60-30-10 (60 percent Team PNoy, 30 percent UNA and 10 percent independents) pattern of results in the senatorial race in various parts of the country.

Drilon said claims of the administration’s results manipulation were without basis and illogical.

He cited senatorial surveys over the three-month campaign period, all of which showed 9 to 3, 8 to 4 and 10 to 2 edge by Team PNoy over UNA.

“It always consistently projected a victory by Team PNoy. Conspiracies on manipulations are ridiculous and do not serve a good purpose. It is difficult to imagine that there is a nationwide manipulation,” he said.

Drilon noted that there were several provinces where Team PNoy secured the 9 to 3 edge over UNA but local candidates of the Liberal Party lost.

He said there is no reason to leave the local candidates out of the equation if the results were manipulated as claimed.

“I would therefore suggest that UNA issue a formal statement conceding the victory to Team PNoy because they have not questioned the result of 9-3,” Drilon said.  

“We can move forward, start our work and serve the people. In that, UNA can support the legislative agenda of this administration and continue to act as fiscalizer of this administration.”

Drilon also brushed off fears raised by some sectors about the Senate possibly becoming subservient to Malacañang now that its composition is predominantly allied with the administration.

“Have you ever seen a Senate which is a rubber stamp of any administration? We stand proud of our record as an independent entity. I challenge anyone, instead of speculating, look at the history of the Senate,” he said. 

‘Shut up’

UNA secretary-general and campaign manager Toby Tiangco asked Drilon to “shut up and mind your own business.”

In a telephone interview with The STAR, Tiangco said Drilon has no right to tell UNA, its officials and other political parties what to do.

“Even if he (Drilon) thinks he is the next Senate president, he does not have the right to tell us what to do,” Tiangco said.

“With his statement, I am now starting to smell something fishy,” he said. “I am asking those who are sending us emails about the irregularities in the elections to give us complete pieces of evidence. Why does he not just allow the people to speak up?”

Tiangco said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) should investigate allegations that the elections were marred with irregularities.

He added that the Comelec could investigate by inviting bloggers on electoral fraud. – Marvin Sy, Jose Rodel Clapano