Vote-buying raps filed vs Roxas, Poe

MANILA, Philippines – Senatorial candidate Greco Belgica yesterday filed vote-buying charges against Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas and independent presidential bet Sen. Grace Poe. 

In separate petitions filed with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Belgica asked the poll body to “conduct a cautious investigation on an untoward vote-buying scheme spearheaded by the Liberal Party to assuage the voters in favor of their standard bearer Mar Roxas in Mindanao.”

Belgica said that Poe also engaged in vote buying in Baguio City. 

He claimed during an interview that the video clips of the vote-buying incidents now circulating on the Internet are clear proof of the violations committed by the two candidates. 

“In the video, there were envelopes being given out before Roxas arrived (at an event). (As for) Grace Poe, there were people saying that their allowance of P500 was not released,” Belgica claimed.

While admitting that he has not investigated the incidents, he insisted that the video clips are enough evidence and that he decided to file the cases because “nobody was bringing it to court.”

“I’m tired of corruption and corrupt officials. Here’s my message to the public – those who buy votes will surely steal from the government’s coffer,” Belgica warned.

Poe denied Belgica’s allegations and cautioned “the people behind these” to be careful in dealing with people’s reputations. – With Marvin Sy, Christina Mendez, Paolo Romero