GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 11 May) — Authorities have launched an investigation into the alleged vote-buying activities here in the run-up to Monday’s local and national midterm elections.
Lawyer Jose Villanueva, Commission on Elections (Comelec)-Region 12 assistant regional director, said Comelec-12 and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are currently verifying the reported vote-buying incident last Thursday in a compound in Barangay Katangawan here.
He said Lawyer Wilfred Jay Balisado, Comelec-12 regional director, and Brig. Gen. Arnold Ardiente, Police Regional Office 12 director, already discussed the matter.
“They are verifying an entity there and investigating what really happened,” he said in an interview.
Former South Cotabato Rep. Shirlyn Bañas-Nograles, who is seeking the city’s lone congressional seat under the RCRI-Achievement with Integrity Movement (AIM), earlier raised “deep concern over reports of an alleged massive vote-buying incident” in Barangay Katangawan on May 8.
She said videos circulating online showed a citizen’s arrest in a compound, where alleged money, lists of names, and identification documents were recovered and subsequently turned over to the police.
“We urgently call on all relevant authorities to be extremely vigilant and prevent further incidents. We implore you to help safeguard our votes,” she said in a Facebook post.
Nograles did not identify the party or persons involved in the incident but local political party People’s Champ Movement (PCM) of reelectionist Mayor Lorelie Pacquiao issued a statement condemning the “unlawful and alarming incident that occurred during the final moments of our legitimate election training and allowance distribution for our accredited poll watchers” in Barangay Katangawan on May 8.
It said that as the event was drawing to a close, a group identifying themselves as “Bantay Boto” forcibly entered the premises without proper authority or coordination.
“This group, pretending to be police officers but without any legal mandate, proceeded to seize personal belongings, including the cash allowances and materials of our watchers. Their actions constitute clear violations of the law – including robbery, trespassing, and usurpation of authority,” PCM said.
PCM claimed that the vehicle used by the group was identified as belonging to the opposing political party RCRI-AIM, and with the campaign posters of one of their candidates.
Villanueva confirmed that they have been receiving information regarding alleged massive vote-buying activities in the city but no formal complaints have been filed so far.
For instance, an undisclosed political camp reported that payouts to voters were allegedly openly conducted inside a local café on Friday using the certified voter’s list, he said.
Reports have been circulating on social media on alleged vote-buying in some barangays here, with voters reportedly receiving envelopes containing P300 to P500 and sample ballots of certain parties.
“We advised the concerned parties to document alleged vote-buying incidents and report them to the police and our Task Force Kontra Daya for the appropriate action,” Villanueva said.
If the evidences warrant, the official assured that the task force and Comelec central office will act on the complaints. (Allen V. Estabillo / MindaNews)
