Manila was truly an election hotspot on Monday as the camps of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and his arch nemesis, deposed President Joseph Estrada, exchanged allegations of cheating, harassment and election fraud.
In a Philippine Star report, the Estrada camp alleged that supporters of the incumbent mayor harassed their supporters and poll watchers at the Rosauro Almario Elementary School in District 1. At the same time, re-electionist Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, Estrada’s runningmate, accused a local city official of pointing a gun at one of their people. They also claimed that there were pre-shaded ballots in favor of Mayor Lim which were being distributed at the P. Guevarra Elementary School in District 3.
The Estrada camp said their lawyers are studying these cases and will be filing the appropriate charges. On the other hand, Lim’s chief of staff, Ric de Guzman, hurled the same charges against their opponent. He said the Estrada – Moreno tandem initiated vote buying, harassment, bringing in flying voters and distributing tampered ballots.
