THE Comission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday imposed strict security on three poll officials who were reported to have knowledge of fraud in the 2007 elections.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes ordered tight security measure on Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao, acting Election Officer Saliao Amba; former acting Sultan sa Barongis, Maguindanao, Election Officer Magsaysay Mohamad; and Maguindanao computerized voter’s list technician Salonga Edzela.

Brillantes said the three will stay in a safe house for security reasons now that they have expressed willingness to support the claims of former Provincial Election Supervisor Lintang Bedol that there was widespread cheating in Maguindanao in 2007.

Brillantes also ordered tight security on the members of the families of the three, who are now living in Maguindanao.

“Basta sine-secure lang namin dahil nagsalita na sila at lumabas na pangalan nila so hindi natin alam…basta, just to be sure, we secure our people. Empleyado namin itong mga ito,” Brillantes said.

Amba, Mohamad and Edzela are now reportedly staying in Camp Crame, Quezon City, but in an area away from Bedol, who is detained at the National Police. “Hiniwalay ko sila,” Brillantes added.

“We have taken custody of them already….  Naguusap pa kami kung saan [itatago],” Brillantes said.

When asked on the progress of the investigation of the three lawyers, Brillantes said there was now a partial report about the 2004 poll rigging.

“Meron silang partial report, pero hindi muna ako magsasalita. Mahirap na, iyong detalye masyadong kuwan… iyong three witnesses ko namomroblema,” he said.

“Siguradong may threat iyan dahil ngayon nag-announce na sila. Kaya pala hindi in-announce ni [Interior] Secretary [Jesse] Robredo. Sabi ko hindi ko naman maitatago iyan dahil may affidavit na. Sabi niya, ‘hindi bale’, pero i-secure na natin ngayon,” he said citing his telephone conversation with Robredo earlier.

On Wednesday Brillantes revealed that the affidavits of dismissed Maguindanao election supervisor Lintang Bedol and three other witnesses in the purported 2007 poll fraud in the province support each other.

He said these affidavits, along with Comelec documents and records, and that of suspended Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan’s statement will all be used to determine if there is a need for a formal investigation of alleged fraud in the 2007 elections.

The poll chief also noted that the four affidavits have repeatedly implicated former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and engineer Norie Unas, who was the Ampatuan’s confidant and provincial administrator in 2007.