Comelec probes alleged vote buying by partylist in Baguio

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is currently investigating incidents of alleged vote buying amid the campaign season for the May 12 polls.

According to Sandra Aguinaldo’s report in “24 Oras” on Monday, the poll body is currently gathering further information on the report of a partylist distributing membership cards with money to residents in Baguio City.

“Ipinakita sa amin yung picture nung allegedly ay membership card ng isang partylist na may P300. Pero kasi yun lang yun, eh wala man lang kaakibat na testimonya or nagsasabi ng isang tao na siya yung nabigyan,” said Comelec chairperson George Garcia. 

(We saw the picture of an alleged membership card with P300 that was given by a partylist. But there’s no testimony or someone who can prove that he or she received the card and money.) 

This is just one of four incidents being probed by the Comelec’s Committee on Kontra-Bigay. But the Comelec said that it would be better if there’s a witness who can come forward to testify and if there is video evidence. 

“Ang problema napakadaling gumawa nun. Paano kung lahat ng partylist, 156 lahat sila lagyan mo ng card lang, tapos may pera din, ide-disqualify pa namin dahil lang sa ganun. We need other evidence, yun po ang sinasabi natin,” said Garcia. 

(The problem is it’s very easy to print these. So what if all the 156 partylists distributed cards and money, we will still have to disqualify them. We need other evidence, that’s what we are saying.)

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“Kung may complainant, mas mabuti. Kung wala, kami ho ang tutulong na rin para ma-establish at kung there’s enough evidence, may sasampulan kami niyan,” said Comelec commissioner Ernesto Maceda Jr. 

(If there’s a complainant, that would be better. If none, we can also help in establishing evidence. But if there’s enough evidence, we will make someone accountable.) 

Further, the poll body has formed a task force to monitor political surveys. The poll body has set a meeting on Thursday with survey firms to ask them on how much do candidates pay them for conducting surveys. 

“Mayroong kasunduan na dapat hanggang dito lang sa amount na ito yung ibabayad para sa survey organizations. Kasi unfair sa mga kandidato na sisingilin ng milyon. Paano sila makakabayad? At saka sosobra naman yun sa statement of contribution and expenditure,” said Garcia. 

(There’s an agreement on the payment cap for survey organizations. It would be unfair for candidates if they have to pay millions of pesos. The amount they have to pay might also exceed their statement of contribution and expenditure.) 

Meanwhile, Comelec has yet to comment on the shooting incident earlier in the day wherein reelectionist Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur Vice Mayor Datu Omar Samama was injured after being shot while delivering a speech. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News

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