Police nab alleged vote buyers in Bulacan, Bicol

MANILA, Philippines - Police arrested four men, including a barangay councilor, for allegedly buying votes in Barangay Bagbagin, Hulo, Sto. Niño, Meycauayan, Bulacan on the eve of the May 10 elections.

Superintendent Noli Pacheco, Meycauayan police officer in-charge, said policemen caught the four holding a bag containing P7,300 in P100 denomination dealing with people queued in the area.

Police also found from the suspects’ bag, some identification cards for the Changes Meycauayan Movement, a bank document for P80,000, divided into P20, P100 and P500 denominations.

Investigators theorized that the P7,300 is left of the P80,000.

Police said the suspects vehemently denied they were buying votes in the barangay but could not justify their activity in the area.

The suspects will be charged of vote buying, which is a violation of the Omnibus Election Code.

Earlier, Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa issued alert against buying and selling of votes, which are commonly done to ensure the victory of certain candidates.

Verzosa said other schemes indicated that unscrupulous individuals would pay individuals not to vote, thus ensuring the victory of their candidates.

Vote buying in Bicol

Moreover, five persons were arrested while in possession of close to P1.3-million in different bills in the Army and police-manned checkpoints in Catanduanes and Sorsogon at the eve of the synchronized poll automated elections, officials here reported yesterday.

Quoting a spot report, Col. Romeo Ayson, deputy commander of the Army’s 901st Brigade based in Villa Hermosa, Daraga, Albay, said that Army-manned checkpoint in Barangay Guiamlong, Caramoran, Catanduanes flagged down at around 9:21 p.m. an LS Isuzu vehicle (SHE-355) loaded with some 1,000 pieces of wallet sized-envelopes and a black bag containing bundles of P500 bills which amounted P1,246,000.

Ayson said the cash money was allegedly owned by candidates for the Catanduanes provincial board hiding behind codenames JAS and Popa, letters printed outside the envelopes, adding that the names of the van driver and another person inside the vehicle were withheld meantime that charges are being prepared against them.

Another checkpoint manned by Army and police elements in Sitio Pawa, Barangay Lajong, Bulan, Sorsogon arrested at around 1 p.m. on Sunday motorcycle-riding tandem Jovet Chavenia, 29; and Bernardo de Leon, 41; when found in their possession at least 218 pieces of white, short envelopes containing P50 bills that amounted to P10,900.

Senior Superintendent Heriberto Olitoquit, Sorsogon police director, said that the envelopes were printed with “Vote Elmer Burias for Vice Mayor.” He did not comment if the money was intended to buy votes.   – With Cet Dematera