MANILA — A key witness of the govern-ment in the electoral sabotage case against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo finally testified Thursday morning at the Pasay City Region-al Trial Court.

Norie Unas, former provincial administrator of Maguindanao province, claimed Arroyo gave instructions to rig the 2007 senatorial election results in favor of her party.

Unas appeared before Pasay RTC Branch 112 Judge Jesus Mupas past 9 am, surrounded by escorts from the National Bureau of Investigation and Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Policemen were de-ployed in all floorsof the 4-storey building.

The schedule of the hearing was kept con-fidential by court employees to ensure the security of Unas and his family in Maguindanao but journalists managed to get information about the hearing from one of the def-ense lawyers.

Unas was the right hand man of Andal Ampatuan Sr., the ex-governor of the impoverished province.

He is the main wit-ness of the govern-ment against Arroyo, who has filed a petition for bail.

In his testimony, Unas said she heard Arroyo instructing Am-patuan to ensure a 12-0 victory for her Team Unity senatorial bets in Maguindanao.

“It should be 12-0 in Maguindanao,” Unas quoted Arroyo as saying, meaning the former chief executive wanted a sweep of the results in the favor of her candidates.

Unas claimed he was standing at the back of Ampatuan, about two to three steps away from the ex-president.

Arroyo shook Ampa-tuan with her right hand and patted him on the upper right arm. Ampatuan, also in jail for alleged involvement in the 2009 Ma-guindanao Massacre, vowed to implement Arroyo’s orders. ET/DMS