Philippines president rejects rigging claims

PHILIPPINES president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has rejected outright claims that she rigged last year’s election.

She asked the public to consider her innocent until proven guilty of any crime.

A former worker in her office yesterday claimed he had personal knowledge of vote-rigging

He claimed he saw a supporter giving bribes to election officials at her house.

Michael Angelo Zuce, who worked at the Presidential Liaison Office for Political Affairs, told a news conference that he also paid bribes to election officials in the southern Philippines with money from his office to ensure Arroyo's May 2004 victory.

Arroyo, facing impeachment over vote-rigging and other allegations, denied the new charges and challenged her accusers to take the case to court.

"Don't believe black propaganda that is being aired outside of the court," she said in a speech. Presidential adviser Gabriel Claudio admitted Zuce worked at the presidential palace, but dismissed his allegations as "incredible and fantastic."

Zuce alleged that the wife of a known illegal gambling lord distributed 30,000 pesos (£300) to each of the election officials gathered at Arroyo's house in February 2004. He said that during the meeting, Arroyo solicited the officials' help in the election.

He claimed that the meeting, as well as his bribe-giving, was done in co-ordination with former election Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.

He said Garcillano was a distant relative.

Garcillano, who has gone into hiding, is a central figure in alleged wiretapped recordings in which he and Arroyo purportedly discussed ways to ensure her victory before official results were announced.