QC mayor-elect Joy Belmonte open for investigation over allegations of vote buying

Quezon City mayor-elect Joy Belmonte on Wednesday said she is willing to be investigated over vote buying, as alleged by her rival for the mayoralty post, incumbent Quezon City Representative Vicente "Bingbong" Crisologo.

"Sa amin naman, he also accused me of vote buying, and again, I welcome an investigation on the part of the Comelec [Commission on Elections]. Ako naman I'm very transparent. Gusto ko lang, kung makakatulong na maimbestiga kami for his allegations, I'm okay with that," Belmonte said in an interview on GMA News' News To Go.

Belmonte said she thinks Crisologo's arrest over supposed vote buying and usurpation of authority helped boost his candidacy for the elections.

"Feeling ko nakatulong sa kanya more, kasi mahilig ang taong bayan sa 'yung inaapi, o kaya 'yung underdog, and he played the victim card really very well, well-directed," she said.

"It seemed like he was begging to be arrested. Parang it was very dramatic 'yung pagkamura niya sa mga pulis, so they have to take him in because of verbal abuse of a police officer," Belmonte added.

She also thinks her lead over Crisologo would have been bigger if not for the "publicity" and media coverage.

"Tigin ko nakatulong 'yun. Dati hindi naman siya kilala sa buong bahagi ng Pilipinas. Ngayon, he could actually run for senator dahil kilalang-kilala na siya sa buong bansa at lalong-lalo na sa lungsod," Belmonte said.

A day before the May 13 elections, Crisologo and more than 40 individuals were arrested due to their alleged involvement in a supposed vote buying incident in Barangay Bahay Toro.

The Quezon City Police reported that Crisologo and his son were arrested for obstruction of justice.

Crisologo however denied involvement in vote buying, and said that he merely questioned the protocol implemented in the police operation.

"Ang nangyari meron tayong training ng mga watchers. Binibigay 'yung mga paraphernalia para sa watchers. Pinasok ng mga pulis sa loob ng bahay nang walang search warrant," Crisologo said.

"'Yung mga pulis naka-tsinelas, hindi naka-uniporme, may baril, so natural sumunod kami. Tiningnan namin. Pagdating namin, nakita namin, sinabihan namin 'yung pulis na bakit sila nag-trespass?" Crisologo added.

Her shift from Liberal Party to pro-administration

In the same interview, Belmonte explained that she shifted from the Liberal Party, the party her family is long-known to be a stalwart, to being pro-administration after she realized her ideals were aligned with those of President Rodrigo Duterte.

"I realized, having spoken to people close to the President, that the President probably thinks a little bit like me," she said.

Belmonte as well mentioned that Duterte values his "deep" friendship with her father, former Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. Duterte was Davao City 1st District representative at the time the elder Belmonte was Speaker of the House.

The incumbent Quezon City vice mayor stated that her loyalty is to the people, and not to a political party.

"Tingin ko ang loyalty ng isang katulad ko, isang lingkod bayan na naglilingkod sa baba, sa taong bayan, ay sa tao mismo. So bagama't ako ay naging mabuting miyembro ng Partido Liberal... ay overwhelming pa rin ang pagkapanalo ni Pangulong Duterte sa Lungsod Quezon and to me that shows that the people of my city like his message of change. And ako naman, mas gusto ko na aligned ako talaga sa puso at diwa ng mga mamamayang pinaglilingkuran ko," Belmonte added.

Sara Duterte's Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) endorsed Belmonte's mayoral bid in Quezon City. —Jamil Santos/KG, GMA News