Party-list group faces disqualification case for vote-buying

MANILA, Philippines — The party-list group Construction Workers Solidarity (CWS) is now at risk of disqualification from the midterm elections due to alleged involvement in vote-buying.

In a four-page petition, Mataasnakahoy Vice Mayor and Batangas gubernatorial candidate Jay Ilagan urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to disqualify the CWS, citing its first nominee, incumbent party-list Rep. Edwin Gadiola.

Ilagan alleged that during the Barakofest 2025 on Feb. 13 in Lipa, Batangas, the CWS organized a “Last to Take Hands Off Challenge” and awarded three brand-new cars as prizes to the winners.

“The act of distributing high-value prizes by a party-list during the campaign period constitutes vote-buying,” Ilagan said.

He argued that the giveaway violated election laws prohibiting
vote-buying and breached a Comelec resolution banning material inducements to influence voters.

Since the event and prize distribution reportedly took place within the 90-day campaign period, Ilagan called on Comelec to investigate the incident, hold CWS criminally and administratively liable and disqualify the group.

Additionally, Ilagan called on the poll body to implement stricter measures to prevent similar acts of vote buying by political parties and candidates.

Disrepute or disrespect

In another election-related legal battle, the Supreme Court (SC) has ordered former senatorial aspirant Francis Leo Marcos to explain why he should not be cited for contempt following his withdrawal from the 2025 senatorial race, despite the High Court granting him a temporary restraining order (TRO) against his disqualification.

According to SC spokesperson Camille Sue Mae Ting, Marcos has 72 hours from notice to justify his actions, which the court said could “bring its processes into disrepute or disrespect.”

On Jan. 21, the SC issued a TRO against the Comelec, allowing Marcos – whose real name is Norman Mangusin – to run in the 2025 elections after the poll body initially declared him a nuisance candidate.

However, two days later, Marcos withdrew his candidacy, citing the need to prevent government funds from being wasted on ballot reprinting and to support the reelection bid of Senator Imee Marcos.

Mangusin previously ran for senator in the 2022 elections, but the Comelec’s First Division barred him from seeking office in the polls.

63 percent done

Despite legal challenges surrounding some candidates, the Comelec remains on track with election preparations.

According to the Comelec, over 45 million official ballots for the May 2025 midterm elections have already been printed.

Data from the commission showed that a total of 45,649,329 ballots had been printed as of yesterday.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the printed ballots account for over 63 percent of the required 72 million ballots for the upcoming elections.

Of the total number of printed ballots, 22,570,822 were printed by service provider Miru Systems, while 23,078,507 were produced by the National Printing Office.

Comelec said 26,448,091 ballots still need to be printed, with the printing process expected to be completed by the second week of March.

With the postponement of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary election, Comelec has suspended the printing of ballots for the said election.

However, Garcia emphasized that voters from BARMM will still participate in the national and local elections in May.

All ongoing preparations for the upcoming elections remain on schedule, he added. — Daphne Galvez