ILOILO CITY – Iloilo governor Arthur Defensor Jr. has appealed to the Philippine National Police and the Commission on Elections to step in amid reports of alleged vote-buying activities in some parts of the province.
“We continue to appeal and continue to work with the law enforcement agencies to monitor and stop it,” said Defensor, referring to alleged vote-buying, during a press conference on Friday (May 6).
Photos and videos of alleged vote-buying, particularly in southern Iloilo province, have been circulated online.
Leopoldo Moragas, a mayoralty candidate in Miag-ao town, wrote a formal letter to Miag-ao PNP to inform the authorities of what he described as a “massive vote-buying” in various places.
“This vote-buying is prejudicial to the integrity of the 2022 elections,” Moragas said in his letter.
Moragas is running against four other candidates including Richard Garin, the former congressman who transferred his residency to Miag-ao from Guimbal town.
In Igbaras town, a gathering at a mountain resort also drew a crowd and people there were given sample ballots and money of at least P800.
The sample ballots allegedly had names of presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., vice presidential candidate Sara Duterte, 1st District Congresswoman Janette Loreto-Garin, Mayor Jaime Esmeralda, and Vice Mayor Juvic Escorpion.
The governor is in touch with Colonel Adrian Acollador, director of Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) and Atty. Ian Lee Ananoria, Comelec-Iloilo election supervisor.
Defensor said he is awaiting for the incident reports from IPPO.