Retired generals bare alleged intel report about massive cheating on May 14 polls

By Ronron
May 8, 2007

A group of retired generals bared on Tuesday an alleged plot by the military leadership to cheat this May 14 polls to ensure the victory of Team Unity (TU) candidates.

In a press conference in Quezon City, retired Navy Commodore Ismael Aparri said the plot is allegedly called “Operation Plan MERCURY RISING,” which ordered commanders in the field to make sure that the administration-backed candidates win over the Genuine Opposition (GO) candidates.

“There are activities being planned and funded to alter the results of the May 14 election. We will not allow the fraud of the 2004 election to happen again,” said Aparri, who now belongs to the group called Bantay Boto (Guard the Votes), which comprise of seven organizations of retired police and military officers.

Aparri said OPLAN Mercury Rising is contained in an intelligence report that active members of the AFP leaked to his group.

Quoting the intelligence report, Aparri said election officers in particular regions and provinces have been allegedly ordered “to see to it that TU candidates Michael Defensor, Miguel Zubiri, and Prospero Pichay should rank in the first three slots.”

The massive election fraud will allegedly be committed in the following provinces: Ilocos Sur, Pampanga, Camarines Norte, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Eastern Samar, Lanao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, and Shariff Kabunsuan; and in the following regions: Region VI, Region XI, Caraga, and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The above-mentioned areas, Aparri noted, represent 14,762,228 voters of 32.8 percent of all registered voters in the country.

“We also have reports that certain local government and Comelec officials whom we will not name here, were offered huge cash incentives (when they are) able to deliver 12-0 vote in favor of TU, and an added bonus is promised if GO candidate Alan Peter Cayetano gets ZERO vote,” Aparri said.

Aparri alleged that no less than AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. gave verbal instructions to all military commanders to ensure a 12-0 vote win for TU, otherwise they will be relieved from their assignments.

“We call upon the AFP, the PNP (Philippine National Police) and the Comelec to do their sworn duty under the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines to stay neutral and non-partisan to ensure that the election is honest, clean, orderly, peaceful and reflects the sovereign will of the Filipino people,” Aparri said.

“Against any and all attempts to subvert the election, we will use without hesitation all forces and resources at our disposal,” he added.

The 73-year-old retired officer (retirement 01 April 1986) revealed that there are active military officers sympathetic with Bantay Boto’s cause who will always relay to them whatever irregularity is detected in the military organization.

Aparri retired from the service in 1986 and was vocal about the alleged electoral fraud in 2004./DMS