https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/docs/31/319219_-os-china-russia-us-gov-t-urged-to-send-election-monitors-to.html

Lewis, a known supporter of Liberal Party presidential bet Sen. Benigno

Noynoy Aquino III, personally handed a letter detailing the Fil-Ams'

concerns to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

She also met with Clinton's deputy chief-of-staff for almost an hour.

Lewis said she was encouraged by the reception she got from Clinton. *Once

she had the paper in her hand, her face changed and she said: 'I will take

this seriously.' She said it 3 times'," she said.

Smartmatic probe in US

A meeting with New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney only fueled more

fears about the optical scanners to be used in the elections.

The machines are manufactured by Smartmatic, the same company investigated

by Maloney's committee in 2006.

*We had all kinds of problem with the election in Chicago. We proved that

the ownership was not American but Venezuela and we know the technology is

not fool-proof and can be tampered with. You can't have a fair and honest

elections unless you have a paper trail," said Rep. Maloney.

US officials acknowledged the group's concerns but said they are careful

to strike a balance, lest America be accused of interfering in a domestic

political exercise.

They admitted, however, that any fall-out from a possible electoral

debacle in the Philippines will be felt all the way to Washington DC.