Hundreds of cops receive instructions for their poll duties during the send-off ceremony at the Police Regional Office (PRO4A)-Calabarzon regional command grandstand at Camp Gen. Vicente Lim, Calamba City on May 6, 2019. (Photo by Saul E. Pa-a)
CAMP GEN. VICENTE LIM, Calamba City -- The head of the Calabarzon Police Regional Office has warned that any person or candidate involved in vote-buying would be arrested as this constitutes a violation in the Omnibus Election Law.
Brig. Gen. Edward E. Carranza’s stern warning came after two alleged vote-buying incidents were reported in Tagkawayan, Quezon on Tuesday, just two days after an earlier similar incident was reported in Bacoor City.
“We will not stop going after these persons who are trying to tarnish the credibility of this year’s election. We will show them that we will not tolerate any election fraud or irregularities in whatever means,” he said on Thursday.
He called on the public to report similar incidents or any violation of the country’s election laws through the police 24/7 hotlines (0945)764-4414 for Globe Subscribers and (0908)777-9992 for Smart Subscribers.
Carranza earlier warned that any arrested suspect would be charged with violation of the Omnibus Election Code under Batas Pambansa 881, Section 26a, also known as vote-buying.
He said their intensified operations are pursuant to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Oscar Albayalde’s directives to be extra vigilant and responsive on any election irregularities especially on vote-buying.
“With these recent incidents, I am always reiterating to our police personnel to be more watchful and keep an eye on areas where incidents of vote-buying might exist,” he said.
Reports reaching the police regional command here said authorities arrested a local candidate's supporter for alleged vote-buying Tuesday in Barangay Tabason in Tagkawayan, Quezon.
The report said the combined police operatives were conducting their "Oplan Sita" (checkpoint operation) and flagged down Fredilino Villena Cunanan for not wearing a helmet while on his motorcycle (WR 9875).
When Cunanan opened his bag for inspection, sample ballots of political candidates accidentally fell to the ground.
Each sample ballot had a PHP500 bill was stapled to it. The ballot was traced later to the political party of a certain Roberto de Veros.
Police confiscated from Cunanan the sample ballots, three IDs and his motorcycle.
Last May 4, police nabbed 10 persons in Barangay Zapote 5, Bacoor City, Cavite for allegedly distributing small brown envelopes containing PHP200 peso bill each, which totaled to PHP200,000.
Also confiscated from the suspects were some PHP83,500 cash, plastic bag containing red wristbands and a red notebook with the list of persons and give-away shirts bearing the Cavite gubernatorial and vice-gubernatorial bets. (PNA)
