Another group backs poll fraud claim

MANILA, Philippines - Another party-list group has supported calls for an investigation of the alleged rigging of results of the national elections on May 9.

The Buhay party-list group joined the Confederation of Non-Stock Savings and Loan Associations Inc. (CONSLA) party-list in calling on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to investigate the alleged vote manipulation during the polls.

Buhay party-list officer Arnold Arriola submitted an affidavit supporting the CONSLA’s complaint filed with the Comelec and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) in connection with the discrepancy in the number of votes it garnered during the party-list polls.

Arriola attested that CONSLA’s votes had reached 342,513 as of 10:40 p.m. on May 9. He said he took photos of the PPCRV’s quick count results for the party-list organizations.

CONSLA submitted the photos to the Comelec and PPCRV to support its complaint. The group claimed its votes reached 555,896 by noon on May 10 based on the PPCRV’s Quick Count, but the official Comelec result showed CONSLA with a total of 213,814 votes.