INFORMATION technology expert, NGO activist and Halal secretary general Roberto Verzola is adding his voice to the growing number of naysayers who have questioned the credibility of election results in the Maguindanao provincial certificate of canvass (CoC).

Aside from the statistically improbable votes, anomalous voting pattern, and the election results from the town of Pagalungan, Verzola says that the Maguindanao CoC contains some “statistically impossible” numbers when it comes to the ballot fill-up rate.

The ballot fill-up rate corresponds to the number of senators listed on the ballot.

“As you know, the maximum number of senators you can vote for is 12,” says Verzola. “You write anything more than 12, that invalidates the ballot. But in several municipalities, you have (a) fill-up rate of more than 12. These averages are statistically impossible.”

The municipalities of Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Paglat, Ampatuan, South Upi, and Sultan sa Barangis all have fill-up rates above 12, ranging from 12.01 (Paglat) to 13.88 (Datu Anggal Midtimbang). (see table)

The PCIJ’s computation of the ballot fill-up rate of Pagalungan is different from Verzola’s. He says that while a ballot fill-up rate of 3.1 is quite low, it is plausible.

Verzola also analyzed the regional and provincial tallies of the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) in 2004. Then, he concluded that an “invisible hand” within Namfrel’s national tabulation center manipulated the results of its tally.

Now, he says, the data found in the Maguindanao CoC is even more damning. “If we have the Garci tape for 2004, the Maguindanao CoC is it for 2007.”

The document speaks for itself, and shows the cheating that went on in Maguindanao, according to Verzola. “This is a fantastic document…and to think that it was approved, accepted by the Comelec (Commission on Elections) and the National Board of Canvassers. Incredible.”