Vote-buying raps mar last day of village campaigns

SOLANO, Nueva Vizcaya – Even a supposedly non-partisan barangay and Sanggu­niang Kabataan elections, which is set for tomorrow appears to have become tainted with charges of corruption as candidates traded allegations and counter-allegations of vote buying as well as intense meddling of local officials.

As the weeklong-campaign activities wrapped up yesterday, various candidates for barangay positions in the province accused each other of resorting to buying votes through giving away some cash assistance as well as other forms of favors or goodies.

Barangay councilman Ed­gar Balasi, who is running for barangay chairman of Pob­lacion South here, accused one of his rivals of allegedly distributing at least P300 per voter in exchange for their votes.

“It seems like an election for local officials here wherein money has been flooding all around,” he said.

Aside from cash assistance, some barangay bets and their known supporters in the province were also alleged to have been distributing some goodies like bottles of gin for every household, apparently to gain the voters’ commitment to support their bids.

Residents, who asked not to be named, confessed to have received some financial and material favors from some candidates for barangay chairmen and councilors in their barangays.

A 72-year-old voter of Ba­rangay Quezon here admitted having received a bottle of gin from one of the eight candidates running for barangay chairman.

A candidate for village chairman in neighboring Bayombong town also accused one of his four rivals of shelling out at least P200-cash per registered voter.

Also, groups of candidates continued to flock the houses of provincial and town officials, as well as known political leaders, obviously to solicit financial help and endorsement in a last minute effort to prop up their bids. – Charlie Lagasca