Votes go for P50 to P1,000

IT was 9 p.m. on Sunday and the village of Alang-alang in Mandaue City was still abuzz with activities. The doors of the houses were opened. Some residents had formed into small groups and were having small talks on whom to vote in yesterday’s barangay polls. But they were actually waiting for their political leaders to drop by and turn over their “pahalipay” (gratuity) that ranged from P50 to P100 each.

In a family of six, three were given P100 each stapled to a sample ballot that contained the names of candidates. The money was in crisp P50 bills.

The political leader explained that the family members would have to divide the money among themselves since they could not give money to everybody. Earlier that day, two more political leaders visited the village. One had P40 clipped to a sample ballot while the other had a crisp P50 bill. But amount for “pahalipay” in Cebu City was bigger. One candidate for councilor from a northern barangay in Cebu City said he spent close to P80,000 on Sunday at P50 per voter. This didn’t include the P100, which their group was giving to those who had committed to vote their entire slate.

“This is the most expensive election so far,” according to barangay councilman. An outgoing barangay chairman from a Cebu City mountain barangay said that their opponents offered P300 to P500 per voter. “They are spending to win,” said the barangay chairman who is now running for barangay councilor.

The barangay chairman said this had been the first time since the 2002 election that vote buying again resurfaced in Cebu City’s barangay election.

He added that the yesterday’s barangay election was like a proxy war between Mayor Michael Rama and former mayor Tomas Osmeña. / Chief of Reporters Doris Bongcac