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Senate Electoral Tribunal

Zubiri said he has already directed his lawyers to make a proper manifestation before the Senate Electoral Tribunal “with the end in view of expediting the proceedings and with the prayer that the Tribunal come up with a decision at the soonest possible time.”

“Handa ko pong tanggapin ang anumang hatol mula sa nasabing hukuman," he said.

Zubiri also said he has not benefited from having held his post in the past 4 years. “No amount of power, position or wealth is worth sacrificing one's honor and integrity.”

Zubiri also warned his detractors, "As I paraphrase a quote from General Douglas Macarthur that: I am not actually retreating; I am merely advancing in another direction."

‘My rival’

Pimentel III filed an election protest after Zubiri snatched the 12th and last senatorial post in 2007.

Pimentel's protest is still pending before the Senate Electoral Tribunal. Zubiri also filed a counter-protest.

New witnesses, including suspended Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Zaldy Ampatuan and former Maguindanao election supervisor Lintang Bedol, recently came out saying they were instructed by Malacañang to pad votes for Zubiri in 2007.

Ampatuan, an accused in the Maguindanao massacre case, also revealed he was ordered to cut the votes for opposition bets Panfilo Lacson, Noynoy Aquino, and Alan Peter Cayetano

Zubiri, who ran under the administration ticket, won the post by a slim margin of around 21,000 votes over Pimentel, who ran under the opposition.

Enrile to Zubiri: You will be back

Immediately after his speech, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile took the stand and commended Zubiri for what he called was a great show of moral courage.

Enrile said, “never had I thought that I would witness today a show of moral courage…Many people in this life possess physical courage, but rarely did I see a man stand up to what he believes in.”

Enrile, the most senior member of the upper chamber, said he thought it was the first time a senator has resigned under such circumstances.

He said he has yet to “study” Zubiri’s resignation before he comes out with a decision. He also said Zubiri, whom he considers as one of the most articulate, promising and gifted member, would be coming back soon. -- http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/

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By Danny Dangcalan (The Philippine Star) Updated August 07, 2011 12:00 AM


MANILA, Philippines - Resigned senator Juan Miguel Zubiri yesterday expressed his readiness to face his poll fraud accusers as a special investigating panel will look into alleged election cheating that made his mandate questionable.

“If they will invite me, I will have to attend. I used to support this investigation as an elected official, as a civilian I should do my duty to attend this investigation,” Zubiri said.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said a five-member probe body, composed of officials from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec), is set to investigate allegations of poll fraud during the 2004 and 2007 elections.

“We have to determine the extent of his (Zubiri’s) knowledge. He may not have participated in the cheating, but clearly he was a beneficiary. A beneficiary may either be completely innocent or he acquiesced to the commission of the fraud,” De Lima said.

“Is that face-saving or is it because he knew already the outcome of the election protest, or is that a strategy for possible re-election?” she asked, referring to Zubiri’s resignation.

Zubiri said he could have delayed his counter-poll protest until 2013 when his term ends but he decided to quit out of delicadeza. -- http://www.philstar.com/

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Zubiri's plausible protestations notwithstanding, his decision was obviously made with the end in view of assuring his political survival.

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