(Left-Right) Former Congressman and former Governor of Tarlac Margarita “Tingting” Delos Reyes Cojuangco and former Biliran Representative Glen Chong (UNTV News)
MANILA, Philippines – Former congresswoman and presidential aunt Tingting Cojuanco and former Biliran Representative Glen Chong have belied allegations that they stole and tampered ballot boxes in Baguio.
This after the COMELEC law department filed a complaint with the COMELEC en banc against them along with several others for their alleged involvement in the stealing and tampering of ballot boxes from Baguio in 2013.
The bases for these complaints include the statements given by Worthy Acosta, former aide of Cojuanco and is now an accused turned witness to the said issue.
Acosta alleged that Cojuanco ordered him to steal ballot boxes from Baguio, while Chong ordered to tamper it.
Retired COMELEC chief Sixto Brillantes Jr., meanwhile, said the stolen and tampered ballot boxes were used by Conjuangco’s group as propaganda to falsely show to the public that COMELEC committed an election offense.
“Isn’t that a huge criminal offense? You will steal ballot boxes then you will show it all over the country. They must answer to that and tell us who is right or wrong,” Brillantes said.
Cojuanco, however, said she does not know anything about the allegations of Acosta and that she has legitimate evidence to disprove the accusations.
“We never had any ballots. And we never brought any ballots out of the, where ever it was supposed to be because we don’t know that. That’s not what I did. Neither did I order anything,” Conjuanco said.
She also believes that the complaint filed against her is a way of the Aquino administration to divert the attention of the public from the Mamasapano incident.
“Perhaps this is a case by the administration against us. To divert it from other issues that I’m actually asking for like answers to SAF 44 for justice and truth,” Cojuanco added.
Chong also denied that he ordered to tamper the ballot boxes.
“I categorically deny that I ordered Mr. Acosta to tamper the ballots. As a matter of fact (I told them) ang sabi ko ho sa kanila all the evidence I am presenting in this committee will be subject to senators and congressmen, COMELEC, and even all interested parties,” Acosta said.
Comelec en banc has placed the two personalities as well as the other accused under preliminary probe in connection with the said allegations. (Darlene Basingan / UNTV News)