Cayetano calls for continuance of Senate
Inquiry into 2004 and 2007 Poll Fraud

Reporter: So ang proposal ninyo ay ituloy ang pagdinig dito (sa Senate) ng kaso?

ASC: Ituloy 'yon kasi doon mo makikita. Katulad naman ng nasa Sandiganbayan na kaso ngayon, halos lahat ng ebidensya na 'yon dito rin kinuha sa Senate Investigation. That's why we're saying na sana galingan din nila 'yung imbestigasyon nila.

Madalas nating marinig "Senado, Kongreso wag na kayong mag-imbestiga". Pero nagpo-produce naman kasi ng resulta 'yung imbestigasyon ng Senado.

Masisi mo ba 'yung mga senador na bagamat hindi prosecution ang main na function at 'yung intention ng investigation na 'yon, it does produce facts that can be used for prosecution that helps move the wheels of justice in our country.

Reporter: Where do you come in the scheme of things? Sinasabi nga na there are a lot of areas where there was cheating, pero ang mindset pa din ng Comelec, kung sino ang winning bidder. Reelectionist kayo, pero ganyan pa din ang mindset ng mga tao.Tapos may coalition pa ngayon. How do you see the bigger picture?

ASC: That's true pero walang diperensya sa mag-amang Pimentel. Ilang beses silang naging biktima ng dagdag-bawas but that didn't stop the Former Minority Leader Sen. Pimentel from fighting the Comelec. Right now, I can tell you, from a very high official, nakatanggap ako through another person na close sa akin ng threat na, "Sige, re-electionst 'yan."

That's why the automation in 2010 was so important because many of the operators had a hard time selling their trade, ika nga or magpabayad, kasi nga hindi naman nila magalaw 'yung makina. But that was 2010.

That is why we have to make sure na hindi rin kayang galawin 'yung mga makina ngayon. But remember, you are only talking about voting and canvassing. Ang dayaan sa election ay before, during and after.

'Yun lang halimbawa na mag-desisyon kung saan bibilangin o 'yung desisyon lang na ano 'yung mga presinto, ano 'yung mga schools na gagamitin lalo sa mga controlled areas or areas na may security threat, mayroong kalokohang nangyayari dyan.

That's why, for me, ang role namin sa Senado is to keep exposing and re-exposing, keep at them sa issues na ito. We were hoping that we didn't have to do this by means of the conviction or the prosecution of these people sa korte.

Ang crime sa atin bansa, malaki, marami at lumalaki o dumadami hindi dahil sa penalty. Kasi 'yung kasiguraduhan na makukulong or mapo-prosecute mahina. People think that they can get away with it.

This is the same case na kapag nakita ng mga nandadaya that this government means business, and that this government will put behind bars 'yung mga nandaya, you'll have less people cheating in 2013. Kung hindi, business as usual.

Reporter: You said itutuloy ang Senate inquiry into the cheating? Ano ang objective?

ASC: I informally talked to Sen. Koko asking him if we can continue the Senate inquiry. First of all, to get the facts. Ano ba talaga ang nangyari noong 2004, 2007 elections? Because you cannot change the law, you cannot amend or strengthen it until you don't know what really happened. Based on that, we can make a recommendation.

Reporter: Dahil hindi kayo contented sa outcome?

ASC: Also because the Comelec's own investigation does not bring us the results that we want. Remember, the result we want here is not to point fingers at who cheated or not. If no one cheated, then let's be honest with ourselves to say that no one cheated. But if someone did, we should determine who they are and how they did it.

Reporter: Will the Senate help Comelec and DOJ investigate the poll fraud?

ASC: What I'm saying is that the hearing was put on hold because of two reasons. One, is the impeachment; two is because Comelec and DOJ were already holding hearings and told us, "Let us do this." But I am a bit dissatisfied with the results of their investigation.

Reporter: Will the Senate investigation help?

ASC: In the same way that they used the data we were able to gather here as evidence for the case the Ombudsman filed. Ang trabaho namin is to find the truth in aid of legislation. Ngayon kung saan nila gamitin yung natuklasan namin ay nasa kanila na yun.

Reporter: Sixto said he will resign if 2013 budget is not restored. He also said they will abandon the automated elections and will go back to manual if only P8 billion is given to them as budget for next year.

ASC: Well, mahihimay natin yan pagdating sa Senado nung budget nila. Right now, the Budget Secretary is insisting that it is enough. Ewan ko pagdating sa Comelec parating may away pagdating sa Math. Dapat naman talaga pagdating sa Math, whether ikaw o ako, kaliwa o kanan, lahat tayo nagkakasundo dahil 1 + 1 ay palaging equal to 2.

Magkano ba yung machines? Magkano ba yung ibang services? Magkano yung sweldo? Magkano yung allowances? If you add it up together and that is less than or equal to P8 billion then that is enough. If you add it up and it totals to more than P8 billion then they need more.