Ballot boxes with ERs favoring TU found in Bukidnon, Zamboanga del Norte —

The (c) heat is on? Is this true?

MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/12 May) — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q.
Pimentel Jr. today said hundreds of ballot boxes containing prefabricated
election returns favoring Team Unity candidates have been intercepted by
volunteers of Genuine Opposition.

In a press statement, Pimentel claimed that 380 ballot boxes filled with
already accomplished election returns were discovered in Sindangan, Zamboanga
del Norte on May 9 by GO volunteers who were tipped off by elements of the
Philippine National Police.

Pimentel’s son Aquilino Pimentel III is running under the GO ticket.The senator said, however, that the whereabouts of the ballot boxes and their
contents are unknown.

He also said that 16 similar ballot boxes with prepared election returns
favoring TU bets were discovered in Quezon town in Bukidnon on the same day.

“The election materials were found by Fr. Dan Paciente and reported to the
Commission on Election for immediate action. However, Paciente said the
Comelec action on the incident was unknown,” he added.

Pimentel also revealed that P500,000 in peso bills were confiscated by a Navy
Patrol on board a Bantay Dagat pumpboat while it was en route from Liloy to
Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte.

He asked law enforcement authorities to investigate the incident as the money
might be used for vote-buying purposes.

In the same statement, the senator hit high officials of the military for
allegedly ordering soldiers to vote straight for Team Unity senatorial and
other candidates.

“The command votes are not the Iglesia ni Kristo and Jesus Is Lord supporters.
Command votes for purposes of the May 14 elections are found in the camps of
the Armed Forces where the soldiers are ordered to deliver a 12-0 votes for
Team Unity,” he said.

Pimentel said the AFP line of command has remained silent on the order to vote
for TU bets even if it had been confirmed by the rank-and-file in the military.

He further claimed he has received information that funds of the Philippine
Charity Sweepstakes Office are being used to pay for TU propaganda ads and
election activities.

“As part of our complaint, Genuine Opposition will ask the authorities to
subpoena records from the PCSO and media companies that received payments,” he
said. (MindaNews)