MANILA, Philippines – Newly-elected Quezon City mayor Joy Belmonte, vice mayor Gian Sotto and two others are facing vote-buying complaints filed before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday.
In their complaint affidavit, PDP-Laban campaign manager Mike Defensor and secretary general Edwin Rodriguez accused the respondents, which include losing congressional bet Elizabeth Delarmente and TV host Willie Revillame, of violating the Omnibus Election Code for allegedly engaging in vote-buying activities.
The complaint stemmed from Revillame’s alleged distribution of money to the crowd when he showed up as a guest in Belmonte’s campaign rally along Roosevelt Avenue in Quezon City last May 11.
The complainants added that the entire program and the alleged vote-buying act was caught on video since it was broadcast live via Belmonte’s Facebook account.
“Iyong video na prinesent namin as evidence hindi po galing sa amin po iyan, iyan po ay nakuha po namin sa account ni Joy Belmonte,” Rodriguez said.
The video shows Belmonte and Sotto up in the stage with Revillame, and although they were not the ones giving out cash to the crowd, the complainants argued they still committed an election offense.
“Ito ba ay dapat tularan? Ito ba ay ina-allow natin?” Rodriguez said, adding that this should be a landmark case against vote-buying.
“Magbe-benefit dito iyong Pilipinas, iyong taong bayan at para maiwasan kung talagang ito ay bawal then dapat, it should be a landmark case. This will be a test case hanggang saan na are we really that politically mature” he added.
When sought for comment, the camp of Belmonte said Revillame acted on his own accord when he distributed money to the crowd adding that the TV host was only called for an entertainment spot after the event had concluded.
“Several circumstances during the campaign rally they mentioned make it clear that Mr. Willie Revillame had acted out of his own intent and as part of a performance. First, the campaign rally had concluded already and was followed by an entertainment spot for Mr. Revillame. Second, he explicitly stated during the performance that he gave materials and cash out of his own funds,” Pia Morato, Belmonte’s spokesperson said in a statement.
The Comelec said a preliminary investigation has been scheduled for the complaint next week.
“First of all, the giving must be proven, that the giving was done, that the giving was for the purpose of soliciting votes and then it must be proven that the candidate himself approved of that, or knew that it was gonna be done in his behalf,” Comelec spokesperson Director James Jimenez explained.
Under the Omnibus Election Code, vote-buying is considered an election offense that carries a penalty of one to six years of imprisonment, removal of right to vote and disqualification to hold public office.
If found guilty of committing the said election offense, Jimenez said, they will be disqualified and the order of succession will kick in.
“If a candidate has already become a sitting official due to proclamation and a vote-buying case has been filed against him then the order of succession kicks in,” he said.
“It has to do with acts committed during the campaign which caused this disqualification,” he added. (with details from Aiko Miguel)
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