8 execs ‘got cash offers’ to vote for Mabatid

CEBU, Philippines — Eight Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan-affiliated barangay captains yesterday claimed having been offered money allegedly in exchange for voting Mabolo Barangay Captain Prisca Niña Mabatid in the upcoming Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) election.

They were Clifford Niñal (San Nicolas Proper), Juvito Ladraso (Sapangdaku), Sergio Oscaña (Sawang Calero), Victor Buendia (Labangon), Francisco Benedicto (Zapatera), Fredie Esmas (Day-as), Virgil Cabigon (Apas), and Domeng Lopez (Tinago).

They said the offers ranged between P300,000 and P1 million. While they all declined the bargains, they did not reveal the names of the middlemen who facilitated such deals as their way of “respecting” their colleagues.

Benedicto said an alleged representative of Mabatid first approached him to offer P1 million for a vote for Mabatid. He then met with Mabatid to discuss more about it but he eventually declined.

“Paglakaw, ako lang siya gitando but definitely ako siyang gibalibaran. Mao to ang katapusan. Sige na og tawag dili nako tubagon. Kay og dawaton, it will go down to history nga ako nahalin. What will happen to the barangay?” Benedicto said in an interview over dyAB.

Ladraso said a former barangay captain from south district invited him to a dinner that he declined. But on July 17, the same official called him again offering P500,000.

“Sorry kaayo, amigo kaayo ta but dili ko maagni ani… Nagtan-aw ko sa kaugmaon sa among barangay,” Ladraso told The FREEMAN.

Esmas said Mabatid, together with an incumbent barangay captain from the south, pitched P300,000 to him last July 8. He said Mabatid claimed that time she was still affiliated with BOPK, that was why he listened to her.

On July 9, Mabatid allegedly invited Esmas to a gathering but he did not show up.

“Ako siya giingnan nga thanks sa invitation Kap and mo-stick ko sa BOPK. Tarong akong pagbalibad, maayo ang pagtubag sad ni Mabatid,” he said.

Lopez said he, too, was offered P1 million but he rebuffed it in the name of BOPK.

Niñal said a former barangay captain invited him for a talk in the Cebu CFI Cooperative building. Later, he found out that it was actually a “vote buying strategy” of the opposition.

“Lain kaayo paminawon nga naay offer. Dili ko mosugot ana kay masulbad ra ang problema sa barangay. Grabe aggressive kaayo. Dili sila gusto mosulti mi ni Tommy pero sorry lang mobarog gyud mi,” he said.

Cabigon said a north district barangay councilor also courted him to vote for Mabatid in exchange for money. He likewise rejected the offer.

“The other night lang, atubangay mi duol ra sa lugar sa Apas. Diretso ko balibad kay basin loyalty check to sa among kampo,” he said.

Buendia and Oscaña claimed they also received similar offers from the camp of Mabatid.

Benedicto said they decided to call for a press conference to confirm reports of massive vote buying for the ABC election in Cebu City that is scheduled for July 30.

They have yet to decide whether they will pursue legal action against the Mabolo chief.

Mayor ‘lied’

The FREEMAN tried to get Mabatid’s reactions to these claims but she did not return the text messages and calls as of this writing.

Earlier, though, she denied reports of vote buying and maintained she has not decided to run for ABC president.

“It’s the other way around, they are the one offering the barangay captains P300,000 if they vote for Franklyn Ong. In fact, I heard Franklyn is giving them P5,000 every time they have a meeting,” Mabatid told The FREEMAN.

Coming to Mabatid’s defense, City Councilors Raymond Alvin Garcia and Joel Garganera said these reports were mere hearsays as “no one can really mention the name of Mabatid.”

“Puro ra na hearsay para nako, dili na tinuod. Wala na’y weight. If you talk about bribery, just look at yourself first. Mao na akong mensahe sa mayor ba. Ayaw tawn in anaa. Ang akoa lang ana, si Kapitan Mabatid is very dynamic, she really finds way nga the ABC will also have funding from other sources other than the city government,” Garcia said.

Garganera said there was no weight to the accusations.

“Ang pangutana tingali ani is who is telling the truth. Kinsa man ang nagsulti sa tinood ani? First and foremost, ang mayor when he was interviewed, wala ko kaila anang Mabatid, just find her familiar pero that’s a big lie. Mabatid has been helping him and BOPK, grabe,” he said. — /JMD (FREEMAN)