The Philippine Online Chronicles

Bribe money was handed out to election officers to ensure the victory of then president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the 2004 presidential elections, former Shari’a Court judge Nagamura Moner admitted to senators on Tuesday.

Moner disclosed during a Senate blue ribbon committee that he paid the election officers in some areas in Mindanao to manipulate results in favor of Arroyo, who is now a Pampanga representative.

Asked by senate president Juan Ponce-Enrile on the reason for handing out the money, Moner said “it was to pay  the election officers…because at that time,   the results of the counting showed that FPJ was winning by landslide.”

Moner was referring to the late Fernando Poe Jr., who lost to Arroyo in the 2004 presidential elections.

A total of P400,000 was spent in  Tawi-Tawi and  P500,000 in Sulu to change the results of the elections in these areas, according to Moner.

In a separate report, Moner said it was former Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) general manager Alfonso G. Cusi who delivered the money. He said he was tapped by Cusi for the job because his brother-in-law was working as manager of the PPA.

Saying his conscience got the better of him, Moner issued an apology to Poe’s family.

“To the family of FPJ, I’m sorry that I’m saying this only now. I know if I say this before they might have been a chance na hindi naging presidente si GMA…Madame Susan Roces..Madame Grace Llamanzares. Sorry.”

Moner had previously denied any role in the 2004 election controversy.