Benjamin Abalos, second from right, head of the Commission on Elections, makes his way thru a crowd at a press conference at his house in suburban Mandaluyong, east of Manila, Philippines, on Monday Oct. 1, 2007. The scandal-tainted Philippine elections chief announced his resignation Monday amid allegations he tried to bribe a Cabinet official and a businessman to approve a broadband contract with a Chinese company. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Abalos resigns amid bribery allegations

Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. on Monday announced his resignation due to allegations of bribery in connection with $329-million national broadband network (NBN) deal between the government and China’s ZTE Corp.

Abalos made the announcement after a special Mass in his home in Barangay Highway Hills in Mandaluyong City.

“Ako po ay nag-resign (I have resigned). However, let not my detractors feast on the declaration. I’m not admitting anything for any wrongdoing,” he said.

“Hindi pa tapos ang laban (The fight is not yet over),” he added.

The resignation came after majority and minority bloc members in the House of Representatives endorsed the impeachment complaint filed by Iloilo Vice-Gov. Rolex Suplico against Abalos.

Jose “Joey” de Venecia III, son of Speaker de Venecia, earlier accused Abalos of brokering and taking kickbacks from the NBN deal.

Romulo Neri, chairman of the Commission on Higher Education, also admitted before the Senate that the poll chief offered him P200 million to favor China’s ZTE Corp. for the broadband project.

Abalos has asked the speaker to inhibit himself from the impeachment proceedings. The speaker, however, said he will have to fulfil his “ministerial duty” to endorse the complaint to the House Committee on Justice.

The speaker had said that he will abstain from the voting, once the House starts deliberating the complaint.

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