Cops, Comelec  lack evidence to probe vote-buying

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) received more than 10 reports of alleged vote-buying in the city from Sunday evening until Monday morning.

Lt. Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of CCPO, said that although they have suspected these incidents as possible vote-buying, they also found other violations committed by the arrested suspects.

According to him, the reports were mostly verified as violation against the Presidential Decree 247, also known as Prohibiting and Penalizing Defacement, Mutilation, Tearing, Burning or Destruction of Central Bank Notes and Coins.

"Then we have to ask certification from the Bangko Sentral (ng Pilipinas), with regards to the certification, so ang Bangko Sentral mohatag certification before ta maka file of PD 247, depende sad sa recommendations sa Comelec," said Parilla.

Cebu City Councilor Prisca Niña Mabatid has strongly denied the allegation that she bought votes in the city’s North District where she runs for Congress.

There was a report that spread yesterday that free foods were provided for senior citizens in Barangay Mabolo, and they allegedly received “extra money.”

Mabatid only laughed at the report and stressed that it was just among the intrigues thrown at her considering her candidacy.

“Hay man ang pakapin?” she told reporters as she laughed off the issue.

She said there were various organizations in Mabolo that fed their members and she was not the one who funded them.

“Naa nanghatag og food kay daghan man nag-sponsor, mga sponsor nga nag amot-amot ang grupo sa senior citizens nga sila’y maoy nipakaon sa mga senior citizens sad. Ilang own initiative,” said Mabatid.

Mabatid said the votes of the elderly in the said barangay where she resides cannot be bought.

“Of course not, Dili mapalit ang boto sa mga senior citizens sa Mabolo. It's out of love. Silingan gud mi diri,” she said.

“Pinangga kaayo ko diris Barangay Mabolo, pinangga kaayo ko sa mga senior citizens. Since nidagan kog kapitan, konsehal before na sila mobotar, mohapit gyud na sila nako,” she added.

Mabatid said she is already used to intrigues and is no longer affected by such, which is why she is not surprised anymore that her name was replaced in some sample ballots.

The councilor accused her political opponent, actor and businessman Richard Yap, of playing dirty tactics in the elections.

Yap is also running for North District representative.

She claimed that Yap’s camp produced a list that looked exactly like the sample ballot of Barug-PDP-Laban, which is Mabatid is allied with, and allegedly placed the actor’s name, replacing her name.

Yap is yet to comment on the issue as of this writing.

In Central Visayas, Police Brigadier General Roque Eduardo Vega, Police Regional Office-7 chief, said that although they received reports, they cannot consider these as vote-buying incidents.

Just like in Cebu City, Vega said these were mostly also violations of the PD 247.

"It's not necessarily vote-buying, the incident in Cebu City na alleged vote-buying is still under investigation," said Vega.

Meanwhile, Commission on Elections regional director, Atty. Dennis Ausan, admitted that they are “concerned” with the reports of vote-buying.

According to him, they have been monitoring these reports intently.

"Vote-buying is an election offense and criminal case," said Ausan.

He, however, admitted that although they received multiple reports on this, with pictures of the alleged sample ballots and bills attached to it, they cannot proceed with the investigation since the individuals who reported to them usually refuse to be named.

"Hindi verified kung saan yun, paano nangyari yun, so definitely, lahat naman tayo is aware na we cannot pursue a case kung wala tayong ebidensya lalo na kung i-post sa social media," said Ausan.

In Cebu Province, Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) chief, Police Colonel Engelbert Soriano, said that they also apprehended only one incident of alleged vote-buying in which they were to seize ballots with banknotes stapled in it. — Mary Ruth R. Malinao, GMR (FREEMAN)