Aquino warns against plot to cheat in May polls

MARILAO, Bulacan - Liberal Party standard bearer Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" S. Aquino III said Monday that the Liberal Party's (LP) vote-protection arm is looking into reports of a plot to cheat in the May polls.

"(Reports indicate a) plan to influence the outcome of the elections," he said, but declined to elaborate.

"Meron kaming hinahandang pruweba--merong mga intensyon. Basta iwan natin doon muna. Hindi tayo natutulog sa pansitan," Aquino told reporters. He said the LP will rely on volunteers to help protect their votes.

Aquino met over 100 volunteers, including 18 provincial coordinators of the newly organized PiNoy Lawyers group which held its first general assembly in Pasig City last Saturday.

He also said former Defense Secretary Avelino "Nonong" Cruz Jr. Cruz, who was one of the Cabinet members who resigned from office some time after the "Hello Garci" controversy, was heading the LP's vote protection efforts.

Aquino also expressed concern over reports quoting poll watchdog group Kontra-Daya that at least two million ballots for the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao were printed without security features.

"The security marks have been a constant feature for so many past elections. Dapat panagutan 'yan, to send a message that they (Comelec) will not tolerate such actions," he said.

Meanwhile, Aquino said that, if elected president, he will make public the Mayuga report, which refers to the findings of a panel tasked to look into alleged cheating by the administration in the 2004 elections.

Aquino earlier said there is a need for closure in the Hello Garci issue so authorities will know how to prevent poll fraud in the future.