Abalos does a Nixon

INSISTING that he is innocent of allegations that he brokered the National Broadband Network (NBN) project that was awarded to a Chinese firm whose officials he had befriended, and offered millions in bribes in the process, Benjamin Abalos Sr. resigned as chairman and commissioner of the Commission on Elections effective immediately today.

By resigning, however, Abalos has done a Richard Nixon act, which means that he no longer has to face an impeachment trial that has started to gain momentum at the House of Representatives after a complaint filed by Iloilo Vice Governor Rolex Suplico last week has been endorsed by administration congressmen.

The former U.S. president announced his resignation on August 8, 1974 in the face of an imminent impeachment trial over the Watergate scandal. The charges against Nixon stemmed from the break-in perpetrated by his Republican support group at the Democratic Party headquarters inside the Watergate complex at the height of the election campaign in 1972.

Abalos made the announcement after a mass held at his Mandaluyong residence in front of hundreds of supporters. He said he made the painful decision in order to spare the Comelec from being embroiled in his own personal problems. He said he was also saving Congress from a long drawn-out and tedious impeachment process.

Abalos’s resignation statement can be read here.

“My resignation should dispel the claims of my detractors that I am dangling so-called ‘political debts’ dispensed when I was supposedly ‘king’ during the election period as a shield to fend off moves to oust me from office…my resignation negates the accusation that this Administration is out to protect me and my incumbency.” Abalos read from his statement.

“Gusto kong tumayo (I want to stand) on my own,” he added.

With his resignation, Abalos declared he is now “free” and welcomes all charges, criminal and administrative, that will be filed against him. He was appointed chairman by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in June 2002 to replace Alfredo Benipayo. The appointment is unprecedented in the Comelec’s history, Abalos being a politician and known Lakas party stalwart.

Abalos has been implicated in the controversial $329-million broadband deal awarded to Zhong Xing Telecommunications Equipment Limited (ZTE). At the hearings being conducted by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, Jose de Venecia III, son of House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., pointed to Abalos as the “broker” of the NBN project, even alleging that the former Comelec chief tried to bribe him to back out from the venture. Last Wednesday, former socioeconomic planning secretary Romulo Neri also testified that Abalos offered him P200-million bribe while they were discussing the project at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong.

Colleagues at the poll body were surprised by Abalos’s resignation. Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento nonetheless said he respects his decision, welcoming it as a “a good decision for the good of the Comelec.”

“Habang tumatatagal, nadadawit ang Comelec sa issue na hindi namin concern (As days go by, the Comelec is being dragged to an issue that is not our concern). We can now give more attention to (our) tasks.”

As the most senior commissioner, Resurreccion Borra might be designated as officer-in-charge. And with only four months before Abalos’s retirement, Sarmiento does not expect the appointment of a new commissioner to replace him.

Suplico described the news of Abalos’s resignation as “too good to be true.” Though the impeachment case he filed has become moot, he said he was satisfied as it had the same desired effect, which is Abalos’s removal from office. Suplico maintained, however, that the resignation has paved the way for the filing of graft charges against the erstwhile Comelec chairman.

Electoral reform advocates also welcomed the development. “At least he has the conscience to do it,” said Ramon Casiple, executive director of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform (IPER) who had expressed doubts as to how far the impeachment process would go. “But the ZTE issue will not go away with him. I hope (his resignation) will be the gain of election reforms.”

The Black and White Movement also sees Abalos’s resignation as paving the way for genuine electoral reform. “We insist on a solid choice of replacement and a transparent, open process of selection,” said Leah Navarro, adding that the group will continue to pursue plans to hold Abalos accountable in regard to the NBN deal through the legal process.

“It’s good that he’s out of the Comelec,” said Augusto Lagman, a bitter critic of Abalos who filed a graft case against the Comelec chair and other poll commissioners over the anomalous P1.3-billion contract awarded to Mega Pacific e-Solutions to purchase automated counting machines for the 2004 elections.

Though he believes that the Comelec can now move forward, especially regarding automation, with Abalos gone, Lagman still entertains doubts in light of what happened to the Mega Pacific case despite the Supreme Court ruling that nullified it for the glaring irregularities that attended the bidding process.

“What we really want to see is that he be prosecuted, that he stand trial,” said Lagman. “That’s the only way justice can be served. The Ombudsman (Merceditas Gutierrez) must shake off the influence of Malacañang on her. She must elevate his case to the Sandiganbayan.”