MANILA – Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III has been slapped with perjury raps over his allegations of electoral fraud against former president and incumbent House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the 2007 midterm elections.
Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio filed the case against Pimentel at the Manila prosecutor’s office due to Pimentel’s “malicious” allegation that Arroyo conspired with others to manipulate the 2007 election results.
Pimentel said then that the manipulation has resulted in the “illegal” proclamation of Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri as the 12th winning senatorial candidate.
In August 2011, Pimentel was proclaimed winner by the Senate Electoral Tribunal.
“Pimentel made certain deliberate, willful and malicious statements under oath wherein he declared and expressed with certainty the commission by FPGMA and (First Gentleman Mike Arroyo of acts constitutive of electoral sabotage,” Topacio said.
Pimentel, who is seeking reelection under the administration-ally Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan, refused to dwell on the perjury raps.
“Siguro tanungin na lang natin si Atty. Topacio, ano ba talaga ang motivation niya? Election distraction ba ito or negative campaigning ba ito?” Pimentel said in an interview at DZMM.
He added: “Ang masasagot ko lang diyan, 2007 ‘yung insidente, ‘yung mga dokumento, I think 2010, 2011, ang petsa na po ngayon, 2019, palapit na ang Mayo 13.”
Topacio earlier petitioned before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the disqualification of Pimentel in the 2019 elections as he has already served two consecutive terms – the limit set by the 1987 Constitution.
The Comelec has yet to act on it and has put Pimentel’s name on the official ballot in May. If Pimentel wins but is disqualified later on, he may be removed through quo warranto proceedings./PN
