MANILA, Philippines ? The Philippine National Police challenged Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales to substantiate his claim that some police and military personnel were approached by some individuals to rig the May 10 elections.

PNP Director General Jesus Verzosa assured Gonzales that the national police would not condone officers involved in an alleged plot to commit election fraud, said Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina, PNP spokesman.

"We would like to respectfully request the good secretary to please forward to us immediately hard facts and evidence? so we can start the investigation," Espina told reporters in Camp Crame. "As police investigators, we only base our probe on hard facts and evidences given to us."

During a meeting with religious leaders in Davao City Wednesday, Gonzales disclosed that cheating has begun and that some elections officials had received money from politicians he did not identify.

Gonzales, who also serves as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo?s national security adviser, claimed that several policemen and soldiers in Southern Tagalog were offered bribes to favor two presidential candidates.

The defense secretary, however, declined to identify the politicians.