Vote-buying charges filed vs. new Lorega brgy chief

Lorega-San Miguel barangay captain Fortunato Parawan has already filed an election protest before the Regional Trial Court against newly elected barangay captain Lorenzo “Larry” Monsanto who he accused of engaging in massive vote-buying during the recent barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

Monsanto, the number one councilman of barangay Lorega-San Miguel, won with a margin of about 100 votes only against the reelectionist Parawan.

A day after the elections, Parawan had conceded saying that even if the court would disqualify Monsanto from the position, the law provides it would not be him who could assume the post.

The law provides that if the barangay captain-elect would be disqualified to assume the post, the barangay councilman who garnered the highest number of votes will serve as barangay captain.

Parawan said his move of filing the election protest last Thursday, or eight days after the elections, was done because of the prodding of his political supporters who believe that had Monsanto not allegedly resorted to vote-buying, Parawan could have won.

“Dia ko’y daghang ebidensya nga mga yellow cards nga maoy ilang gigamit sa massive vote-buying. Wala na hinoo’y kwarta pero duna ko’y mga supporters nga andam mo-execute og affidavit nga duna g’yoy vote-buying,” Parawan, whose term of office will end on November 30, said.

Parawan reiterated that Monsanto’s camp paid P500 to P1,500 to voters in barangay Lorega, although Monsanto just laughed off the allegation, saying “Wala man gani ko’y mga propaganda kay wa g’yod ko’y kwarta, vote-buying na hinoon.”

Monsanto said he is “very much willing to face Parawan before the court and prove to him that he is not the one engaged in vote-buying.” — Rene U. Borromeo/MEEV