Bataan solon, mayor clash over seized poll materials, vote-buying claim

MANILA, Philippines — Bataan Second District Rep. Joet Garcia has accused Mariveles Mayor Jo Castañeda and her aides of breaking into a vehicle and carting away election campaign materials.

In a statement, Garcia said that a CCTV footage showed that a member of Castañeda’s team allegedly smashed the window of a commuter van parked in Barangay Ipag, Mariveles, Bataan.

“Sa isang iglap lamang makikita din sa CCTV na lumapit pa ang ilang lalaki kasama si Mayor JoCas na dali-daling binuksan ang van sa pamamagitan ng basag na bintana, hinalughug ang mga laman, at tinangay ang ilan sa mga ito,” narrated Garcia.

(In a flash, the CCTV also showed several men approaching, including Mayor JoCas, who quickly opened the van’s door through a broken window, searched the contents, and took some of them.)

“Ang pangyayaring ito at mga sumunod pang kaganapan ay kinunan mismo ng video ni Mayor JoCas habang naka Facebook live,” he added.

(This incident and subsequent events were captured on video by Mayor JoCas while on Facebook live.)

Garcia also said that the personal computer and other items taken by Castañeda’s group from the van have not been returned to the owner or transferred or turned over to police custody.

Garcia said that the driver is set to file a formal complaint against Castañeda and her team.

Castañeda insisted that she and her team did not break into the van, clarifying that all the “evidence” they discovered inside was surrendered to the police.

“May magnanakaw po ba na naka-live at pinapanood ng buong mundo, naka-live lang po ito at nakikita ng lahat ng tao. Matibay na ebidensya po ito,” said Castañeda in a statement on her own Facebook page.

(Why would a thief go on live and be watched by the whole world, it is a live and everyone can see. This is strong evidence.)

“Lahat ng ebidensya dinala nila sa himpilan ng pulis. Kaya ano po ang ninakaw?” she added.

(All pieces of evidence were brought to the police station. So what was stolen?)

Castañeda said Garcia is making up stories and linked him to vote buying.

Based on Castañeda’s live video, the van was loaded with election materials of Partido Balikatan – Bataan, alcohol, canned goods, money, as well as a list of voter precincts, included voters’ names and addresses.

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