Poll-related issues keep cops on toes

On the eve of Election Day, Metro Manila policemen were busy attending to complaints of vote-buying in Taguig, violators of the liquor ban in Pasay City and the spread of fake raffle tickets supposedly by a mayoral candidate in Parañaque.

In Taguig City, Senior Superintendent Art Asis, the city’s police chief, said an informer told them that people were lined up outside a building in Signal Village owned by reelectionist Taguig Rep. Henry Dueñas who was giving out P300 per voter.

Dueñas is running against film director and Fort Bonifacio barangay (village) chair Lino Cayetano, the brother of senators Pia and Allan Peter Cayetano.

“The informer said the people standing in line were being given a red card which they should present in exchange for P300,” he said.

But when the police went to the area to verify the informer’s claim, the line of voters was nowhere to be seen, Asis said.

Sought for comment, Dueñas said the people in the building were his supporters and staffers who had been helping him in his campaign.

“The police action was meant to harass our supporters. They knew that the reports were politically motivated,” he added.

In Pasay City, three people were arrested Sunday after they were caught drinking liquor inside a KTV Bar.

Pasay police chief Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Llorca said charges would be filed against the three who were identified as Lucky Miranda, Rommel Combater and Roselyn Banaag.

In Parañaque, the camp of mayoral candidate Edwin Olivarez filed a complaint yesterday about the spread of a fake raffle stubs bearing his name.

Olivarez, who is running against the son of incumbent Mayor Florencio Bernabe, Benjo Bernabe, told the police that he was being set up by his opponent as candidates are prohibited from offering money or incentives to voters. With reports from Marc Joseph Alejo and Diane Marie Reyes