Southern Tagalog sees surge in vote-buying reports

SAN PEDRO CITY, LAGUNA, Philippines — Reports of vote-buying rose in several areas of the Southern Tagalog Region on Sunday, the eve of the midterm national and local elections.

In Romblon, a resident of  San Fernando town on Sibuyan Island on Sunday showed the INQUIRER a photo of bills amounting to P50 to P500 stapled to sample ballots with the names of candidates for House representative, governor, and mayor that he received.

“They bring it to houses through [the candidates’] distributor leaders,” he said.

The resident said vote-buying in their area started Saturday night and was expected to continue for another round Sunday evening, just hours before the elections.

“If you vote straight [for one party] from congressman down to councilor, that’s worth P3,500,” he added.

‘Grasya’

In Laguna, alleged vote-buying at a local mall and a private school in Los Baños was also reported by three residents.

A female resident from the adjacent Bay town said she received P500 in a brown envelope along with a sample ballot.

She said they were just told by “coordinators” to go to the third floor of a mall near University of the Philippines Los Baños campus on Saturday evening for the “grasya” (grace).

“I didn’t see any candidate there. No more program or anything. Just have your name listed,” she said.

She added that phones, especially those with cameras, were not allowed inside.

Another Los Baños resident said “thousands” gathered inside a private school owned by a candidate for House representative in the 2nd District of Laguna also Saturday evening.

“They locked down the school,” the resident said.

Col. Eleazar Matta, chief of the Laguna Police Provincial Office, said that, despite reports reaching his office of such activities, nobody had come forward to officially file a complaint or submit evidence.

In Cavite, provincial election chief Arnulfo Pioquinto said they faced a similar dilemma in addressing vote-buying at the municipal level since no one had come forward to execute an affidavit.

“That’s our problem. Although we have our men deployed already to check these areas,” Matta said in a phone interview.

Nabbed vote-buyers

Some vote-buyers were arrested in various areas of the region.

In Santa Cruz, Laguna, a man and a woman were arrested at noon on Sunday for for alleged vote-buying.

In a text message, Matta identified the suspects as Melchor Sta. Ana, 61, and Miriam Octavio, 54. They were arrested by police officers who responded to a report by a concerned citizen.

He said the officers caught the suspects in the act of distributing 100-peso bills with sample ballots that named reelectionist Laguna Gov. Ramil Hernandez and 13 other candidates for local positions, all under the Nacionalista Party.

But Hernandez, through his spokesperson Chris Sanji, said he had nothing to do with the activity.

“It’s not our camp’s style to buy votes,” Sanji said when sought for comment.

He also said they had no idea who could be behind the vote-buying as Hernandez had “many supporters.”

Police said they recovered a total of P4,500 cash and a notebook from both suspects.

In Gloria, Oriental Mindoro, five armed men were arrested for alleged vote-buying and harassing voters Saturday night.

Lt. Col. Socrates Faltado, information officer of the Mimaropa Police Regional Office, identified the suspects as Noyme Moreno, 38; Jose Porras, 32; Restituto Constantino, 62; George Malacas, 31; and Dennis Nepomuceno, 32.

Mimaropa, or Southern Tagalog Region 4B, is composed of the provinces of Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan.

Police officers were manning a checkpoint on the Strong Republic Nautical Highway in Barangay Balete when they received a phone call from Gloria Vice Mayor Ramon Solas about a white closed van transporting armed men who were allegedly engaged in vote-buying and harassment of voters at the Core Housing.

Solas is running against incumbent Mayor German “Bitoy” Rodegerio in the town’s mayoral race.

After flagging down the vehicle, the officers seized from the suspects two .45-caliber pistols, two magazines for a .45-caliber pistols, two magazines for a 9-mm Glock pistol, 18 rounds of live ammunition for .45-caliber pistols, 31 rounds of live ammunition for 9-mm pistol, and a Cignus handheld radio.

Meanwhile, in Sorsogon City, authorities arrested two suspects for vote-buying on Saturday morning.

Major Maria Luisa Calubaquib, information officer of Bicol police, said Cesar Villafuerte, 54, of Barangay Guinlajon, and Reynaldo Pombo, 52, of Barangay Abuyog, were arrested in two separate operations.

Recovered from Villafuerte were an improvised master list of voters, campaign paraphernalia and sample ballots with P26,100 worth of cash attached

Authorities also confiscated nine pieces of white postal envelopes, sample ballots, and P15,300 in various denominations from Pombo.

The suspects were detained at the Sorsogon City Police Station for violations of the Omnibus Election Code.

Complaints

Three voters in Romblon also complained to police of alleged vote-buying by candidates in Odiongan town on Saturday.

According to the Mimaropa Police Regional Office, three residents of Barangay Pato-o reported that their village chief had asked them to proceed to her house as they were included in her voters’ list.

Lawyer Niño Servañez accompanied the three complainants, identified as Mely Domingo, 26; Jovis Urbano, 34; and Monalie Dela Cruz, 51.

Domingo said she received, in exchange for her vote, a white envelope containing 1,000-peso bill and a piece of paper showing the names of the candidates, a pink sample ballot, and pocket-size calendar with the name of a party-list group stapled with a 50-peso bill.

Urbano and Dela Cruz said they had received the similar items.

(Editor: Alexander T. Magno)