by Jojo Malig, abs-cbnNEWS.com - After resigning from the Senate, Sen. Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri congratulated his rival, lawyer Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel, and confirmed he would no longer pursue his counter-protest over the results of the 2007 senatorial elections.
Zubiri told dZMM's "Pasada Sais Trenta" on Wednesday that he has told his lawyer to pull out the counter-protest he had filed before the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) questioning the results in Metro Manila in favor of Pimentel.
"Pinagsabihan na po namin ang aming mga abugado na i-pullout na ang mga revisors. Ibinibigay for na po sa SET ang decision. Sila na po. Kailangan po nilang magconvene para desisyunan itong ginawa kong resignation," he said.
Zubiri added that he has talked to Pimentel.
"Nag-usap po kami ni Atty. Koko Pimentel....I wish him well, I wish him all the luck, siya po ay isang tiga-Mindanao tulad natin," he said.
"Napakahalaga po na dala po niya ang boses ng Mindanao sa Senado."
However, Zubiri did not directly answer a question if he has officially conceded to Pimentel.
His resignation also does not mean Pimentel will automatically assume the vacated post since it would be up to the SET.
"Ako ay bumitiw sa puwesto dahil gusto kong ibalik ang integridad ng aking pangalan at pamilya. Hindi po tayo nandaya," Zubiri said.
"Dahil sa revelations sa Mindanao... may konting legitimacy question po sa aking pagiging senador," he added.
Zubiri denies he cheated
Zubiri said his family has been affected by the recent allegations made by suspended ARMM Governor Zaldy Ampatuan and former elections supervisor Lintang Bedol on alleged fraud committed in Mindanao during the 2004 presidential and 2007 mid-term polls.
"Ang napakaimportante kasi perception ng taumbayan. Ang taumbayan galit na po sa dayaan na nangyari sa 2004 at 2007," he said. "I just want to the prove to the people na mas may importante pa sa power, position, and wealth. Iyon po ang integridad."
Zubiri also denied cheating in the 2007 mid-term elections.
"Kung may nandaya po sa 2007 elections, wala po tayong kinalaman diyan," he told TV Patrol.
"Hindi po tayo nandaya. Wala po tayong kinausap na mandaya para sa atin. Hindi po namin tatanggapin ang boto ng pandaraya," he added. "Iyung mga ebidensiya, ilalabas naman po ng DOJ (Department of Justice) at Comelec (Commission on Elections)."
Zubiri defeated Pimentel by just 18,372 votes in the official Comelec tally of the 2007 senatorial elections.
However, SET's probe into Pimentel's election protest revealed that Zubiri's rival regained 257,401 votes in 2,658 polling precincts in Maguindanao, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Shariff Kabunsuan, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, and Basilan.
The figure erased Zubiri's slim lead.
In a counter-protest filed by Zubiri, Pimentel lost more than 53,000 votes in around 44,000 precincts. The SET has yet to review the results in around 8,000 remaining precincts.
However, Ampatuan and Bedol recently said they were ordered by Malacañang to pad the votes of Zubiri in Mindanao, while blanking opposition bets Panfilo Lacson, Alan Peter Cayetano, and Noynoy Aquino. - with a report from Lynda Jumilla, ABS-CBN News
