Hilbay, Tañada: Comelec should probe Go shirts controversy

Former Solicitor General Florin “Pilo” Hilbay (File photo by EDWIN BACASMAS / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) should investigate reports that government funds were used to buy campaign shirts with the image of senatorial aspirant Christopher “Bong” Go.

Former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay hit Comelec for focusing more on detecting illegal posters instead of looking into the Bong Go case.

“I think at the very least it should be investigated by the Comelec,” Hilbay said in a press briefing in Marikina City.

Using government funds and facilities for campaigning is a more serious violation of Comelec rules, he noted.

“Pero parang ‘di iniimbistigahan ng Comelec,” he said.

[It seems Comelec is not investigating this.]

Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano called attention to the issue, questioning whether government funds were used to buy the campaign shirts distributed during the first Liga ng mga Barangay National Convention, which was held from Feb. 25 to 27 in Pasay.

READ: DILG chief: Bong Go shirts not bought with gov’t funds

Meanwhile, former Deputy Speaker Erin Tañada said it was obvious from the reports that a violation of election rules had been committed.

“Kitang-kita na. Merong pagpikit ng mata ang Comelec dito sa violation,” Tañada said during the Marikina press briefing.

[We can see it plainly. The Comelec seems to have closed its eyes to the violation.]

Officials of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) who could be proven to be involved in the issue should be sanctioned or suspended for engaging in “partisan politics,” Tañada said.

“Imposibleng walang may alam kung paano nakapasok na halos isang libo na kits yung shirt… merong naglagay diyan,” he said. “Sino yung naglagay diyan? Sino ang nag-utos na ilagay diyan?”

[It’s impossible that nobody knew that the shirts were included in almost a thousand convention kits. Somebody put the shirts there. Who put them in the kits? Who ordered that the shirts be included in the kits?] /atm

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