Makati Congressman Teodoro Locsin Jr. linked former Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita to electoral fraud in the recent May 10 poll. Locsin, who heads the Congressional committee on suffrage and election reforms which is investigating the fraud, said Ermita is the source of a video shown to the committee wherein a masked man claims to have cheated for leading vice presidential bets Manuel Roxas and Jejomar Binay. Locsin said the information came from House Speaker Prospero Nograles. Aside from Ermita, Locsin also said that former Environment Secretary Lito Atienza sought from Defense Secretary Norbert Gonzales protection for the masked man, whom Locsin referred to as the “Koala Bear.” Ermita said he got a copy of the videotape from Manila Times columnist Buddy Cunanan. In turn, Ermita gave a copy of the film to Nograles. Ermita said Cunanan gave him a copy of the video because the former Executive Secretary's name was mentioned as a possible victim of cheating. Ermita lost in Batangas in his bid to become congressman. Ermita and Atienza denied having links with the group. Cunanan said he was part of the group that recorded the video, but refused to divulge the identity of Koala Bear. During the resumption of Locsin's committee hearing, other defeated candidates disclosed a man approached them in November 2009 and offered them electoral victory for $1 million (50 million pesos). The man said it could be done by manipulating the memory card. According to losing Surigao del Norte Gov. Ace Barbers, the man said the opportunity to manipulate the card would come when the cards would have to be recalled due to defects. Because Barbers did not bite the man's offer, he and his entire slate lost, the governor said. Similar testimonies were given by losing Laguna Governor Ningning Lazaro and Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor.
