KOKO: ZUBIRI WAS A FAKE SENATOR

Re-electionist Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel today chided UNA senatorial bet Juan Miguel Zubiri as a "fake senator" who had obtained his seat in the Upper House of Congress through electoral fraud.

"Zubiri is the face of dagdag-bawas and other insidious and malevolent forms of electoral fraud in this country. He is one good reason why some of our people completely distrust elections and politicians," Pimentel said.

According to the Mindanao lawmaker, "Zubiri cannot cite his so-called accomplishments as senator because that would be cheating the people again."

Pimentel said Zubiri was proclaimed by the Commission on Elections on the basis of fraudulent returns particularly from Maguindanao province that padded Zubiri's votes and allowed him to clinch the 12th spot in the Senate race in 2007.

"Zubiri is a usurper. His proclamation was annulled by the Senate Electoral Tribunal. Thus, in the eyes of the law he was never a senator. He was a fake senator," Pimentel emphasized.

"Zubiri has the gall to cite so-called accomplishments while illegally occupying my Senate seat for more than four years. He also enjoyed privileges and perks of the Senate knowing fully well that his political operators manipulated the votes. He has no moral scruples and the electorate should reject him once again as they did in 2007," Pimentel said.