FORMER Tarlac Gov. Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco, an aunt of President Aquino, was accused on Friday as the mastermind in the campaign to discredit the 2013 national and local elections.
In an affidavit filed before the Commission on Elections, Cojuangco’s former executive assistant, Worthy Acosta said his former employer was the one who conceptualized scenario to show there was massive fraud in the last elections by stealing and tampering the ballots sourced from Baguio City.
In his affidavit, Acosta said Cojuangco “was ably assisted by former Lakas Rep. Glenn Chong of Biliran in the efforts to show that there was poll fraud that attended the last elections.”
“I, Tingting, Glenn and the others started making propaganda materials such as Powerpoint presentations, leaflets and video clips exposing election fraud in the automated elections,” Acosta said in his affidavit.
“The intention of this propaganda is to convince the public to rally behind our cause and against the automated election system. The goal in view is to mobilize supporters and sow dissatisfaction toward the present administration using the issue of massive election fraud,” he added.
The propaganda materials include the video recording showing an anonymous person detailing supposed fraud in the automated elections and powerpoint presentation showing tampered ballots and other questionable documents that would support the 60-30-10 pattern of election rigging, among others.
Baguio operation
ACOSTA said she was instructed by Cojuangco, upon the suggestion of Chong, to go to Baguio City sometime in June 2013 for the purpose of retrieving ballots that were supposedly enough to prove election fraud.
He said Cojuangco already made arrangements with former Lakas Rep. Bernie Vergara of Baguio, who he said was eager to prove election fraud after only placing third in the May 2013 elections.
Acosta said that, after meeting with Vergara, their group went to the warehouse with people from the City Treasurer’s Office who were tasked to safeguard the ballot boxes.
“I put the ballots inside my backpack, closed the ballot box and carefully placed the packaging tape back around it. I carried it back to the corner, where it was stacked,” Acosta said.
With the ballots in their possession, Acosta said Chong instructed him to tamper the ballots and make it look like Vergara was defrauded and show that his true number of votes was not reflected in the Election Return of the ballot box concerned.
It was also during their nationwide campaign in different schools and universities on election fraud that the propaganda materials were allegedly used by Cojuangco and her allies.
Several meetings, according to Acosta, were also held in Cojuangco’s home on Acacia Street, Dasmarinas Village, Makati City, where different personalities were present and various issues aside from election fraud were discussed.
Gloria allies
AMONG those who allegedly attended the meetings were allies of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, namely, Norberto Gonzales, retired Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, former congressman Amado Bagatsing, Greco Belgica, Christian Señeres, Samson Alcantara, Jarius Bondoc, Chit Pedrosa, Bel Cunanan and Toti Casiño.
“It was very evident from discussions with Tingting, as well as her actions, that she despises her nephew, President Aquino,” Acosta said in his affidavit.
“As such, Tingting holds interest in any issue that reflects negatively on the present administration, especially the President, and not just in the 2013 elections,” he added.
Later on, Acosta said he learned that the personalities meeting at Cojuangco’s residence were part of the so-called National Transformation Council (NTC), which is spearheading calls for Aquino to step down from office.
Acosta said he left the camp of Cojuangco in June 2014 after he was accused by the latter of malversation.
Eventually, he approached then Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes, upon the suggestion of Liberal Party Rep. Rogelio Espina of Biliran, to offer his testimonies in exchange of security against the threats of Chong and Cojuangco.