Pimentel Vs. Zubiri Electoral Protest - Revelations of Bedol and Ampatuan

Revelations of Bedol and Ampatuan

On July 2011, former Maguindanao election supervisor Lintang Bedol and suspended Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor Zaldy Ampatuan revealed that there was massive election fraud during the 2007 election. SET member Francis Pangilinan urged Ampatuan and others who knew of alleged election cheating to submit affidavits to the SET, noting though that these new revelations won't necessarily speed up the resolution of the protests.

On August 3, 2011, Zubiri resigned as a senator, insisting that he did not cheat or asked anyone to cheat for him in the 2007 election. Zubiri cited the issue dividing the nation and placing doubts on the electoral system as the reason for his resignation. Pimentel was dismayed in Zubiri's insistence that the allegations of election fraud were unfounded, adding that the SET should proclaim a new senator as Zubiri's resignation makes his counter-protest "moot and academic." Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile immediately announced that he will study on what to do next as there is no precedent; Senator Francis Escudero, on the other hand, said that Zubiri's resignation is effective immediately, citing instances where senators left office to accept other positions such as when Raul Manglapus became Foreign Affairs secretary, Alfredo Lim became mayor of Manila, Teofisto Guingona became Vice President, and when then Senator Aquino was inaugurated as president.

Ampatuan and Bedol agreed with Zubiri's resignation; Ampatuan said that Zubiri was affected by his conscience. Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes said that the resignation implies that fraud did occur in 2007 and that will benefit Pimentel. The Office of the President and Vice President Jejomar Binay sent their well wishes to Zubiri commending his contributions at the Senate.

Zubiri announced his intention to withdraw his counter-protest so that the SET can resolve Pimentel's counter-protest immediately. On August 11, 2011, four years after the election, the tribunal proclaimed Pimentel as the winner, with Pimentel getting 10,898,786 votes while Zubiri got 10,640,620. Pimentel was swore into office in Mati, Davao Oriental by Davao Oriental Governor Corazon Nunez-Malanyaon; it was in Davao Oriental that Pimentel finished second in the election, his highest rank among the provinces.