The camp of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo yesterday called "unfair" insinuations that she could be behind the disappearance of a vital witness in the electoral sabotage case against her. Arroyo legal counsel Ferdinand Topacio said the Commission on Elections should be blamed for failing to secure its witness. "Comelec is responsible for its own witnesses," said Topacio. Last week, the poll body revealed that Russam Mabang, acting election officer of Pandag, Maguindanao, in the 2007 elections, disappeared on May 30, the day before he was scheduled to testify at a court hearing. Mabang was one of the two last witnesses that Comelec was supposed to present for the bail hearing of Arroyo. Topacio said the disappearance of Mabang should not be taken against the Arroyo camp which is not involved in the incident. Just like other court cases, the party that will benefit from the testimony of witnesses should make sure they will appear in the hearing, he said. "These witnesses are under their custody. I think it would be unfair to blame us," he said. "Our main concern now is for the former President to be granted bail because the evidence against her is weak and she is being held on flimsy grounds," he said. Comelec said that aside from Mabang, it was set to present former Maguindanao provincial administrator Norie Unas. Despite the absence of Mabang, Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said the poll body's case against Arroyo remains strong. "The principal witness is Unas," Brillantes said. Brillantes said Mabang's testimony will merely corroborate the statements of 10 other witnesses previously presented by the poll body.