Manila: A senate candidate has filed a complaint before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) about alleged vote-buying by presidential candidates Mar Roxas of the ruling Liberal Party.
Greco Belgica, senate bet of the Philippine Democratic Party’s-People’s Power (PDP-Laban), said he will file a similar complaint against Senator Grace Poe, an independent presidential candidate.
Belgica filed a two-page complaint at the Comelec about envelopes that allegedly contained cash which were distributed during a campaign rally of Roxas in Pikit, North Cotabato in April.
Belgica belongs to the party of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of Davao City, southern Philippines, a popular presidential candidate.
“The investigation of the alleged vote buying should be brought to a proper forum. It should not be done by LP alone,” said Belgica, referring to a video of the rally which showed envelopes being passed to people who could chant louder and who could answer questions correctly.
The LP called for investigation of this incident. The ruling party was criticised when the video that recorded the event went viral in social media.
When asked why he would also file a similar case against Poe, Belgica said, “There were reports which claimed that fans and followers complained that they did not receive their peso 500 (Dh41.66) allowance.” He did not give more details.
Belgica’s complaint raised to four the number of complaints against the LP.
Earlier, Kadamay, a group representing urban poor residents, called for investigation of reports that organisers for LP forced beneficiaries of the government’s Conditional Cash Transfer (CCC) programme (it gives peso 800 per child per month to poor parents as long as they send their children to school and enrol them in health centres) to attend an LP campaign rally.
Kontra Daya (Against Cheating), a group advocating for honest election, had filed a complaint before the Comelec for the use of “Straight Road” as nicknames of Roxas and LP’s vice-presidential candidate Leni Robredo in the May 9 ballots.
At the same time, Comelec admitted looking into reports that actress and TV host Kris Aquino used a presidential chopper when she campaigned for LP’s presidential and vice presidential candidates. Videos of this incident also went viral in social media.
President Beningo Aquino explained that he received intelligence reports that the Al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf Group have plans the kidnap his younger sister, including senate candidate and world famous boxer Manny Pacquiao.
Comelec has called on candidates to observe the country’s Fair Elections Act, which bans incumbent officials who are running for office to use government resources.