‘KONTRA-BIGAY’ OPS ON EVE OF POLLS

SIX people from different parts of Pangasinan, who were caught and arrested by the Dagupan police in the act of buying votes a few hours before the election on May 12 at a vacant lot in Barangay Mayombo, have been indicted and are now facing charges filed by the City Prosecutor’s Office.

Charged in Criminal Case No. 2015-0416 D for vote-buying were Michael Datuin Adaban of Mayombo, Dagupan City; Eloisa Marie de la Cruz Soriano of Domalandan, Lingayen; Krizza Joy Agas Estabillo of San Carlos City; Cresente Sison Bondoc of Poblacion Oeste, Dagupan; Ysa Lomibao Villanueva of Mayombo, Dagupan; and Maria Thea Pamintuan Arzadon, also of Mayombo, Dagupan.

Villanueva an Arzadon are reportedly Sangguniang Kabataan kagawads of Mayombo.

Vote buying is punishable under the Omnibus Election Code in relation to Commission on Elections Resolution No. 11104. Section 24 and 26 (F).

Also indicted for vote selling was Rolando Apilado Tandoc, 53, of Barangay Mayombo, who was caught receiving a peso bill stapled to flyerand sample ballots handed out by one of the suspects, Bondoc, seeking votes  “for Tulungan Tayo Partylist and Tope  Lim Chua.”

The information signed by Assistant City Prosecutor Anna Karen L. Aquino-Go accused the suspects of conspiring and confederating together, and mutually helping each other, “did and there, willfully, unlawfully and criminally, offer or promise money in different denominations to vote sellers to induce them to vote for the following:  a. Celia Lim; b. Brian Lim; c. Tope Lim Chua; and d. Tulungan Tayo Partylist.”

The police said that after receiving the report of  the alleged vote buying and vote selling from a concerned citizen at about 11:40 p.m.  on May 11, P/Lt. Colonel Brendon Palisoc, chief of police, sent officers in civilian clothes to the area to validate the report.

They saw Villanueva, 23, Arzadon, 19, and Adaban, 26, acting as verifiers of the list of voters while Bondoc, 46, Soriano, 34, and Estabillo, 32, were seated in front of another table, handing out campaign flyers and sample ballots with stapled paper bills in different denominations to a queue of vote sellers.

Convinced that they had enough evidence to support a case of vote-buying and selling against the suspects, the policemen in civilian clothes introduced themselves and effected the arrest at past midnight.

Recommended bail for each of the accused is P36,000.

Witnesses to the alleged vote-buying and selling activities are P/Capt. Joy F. Salvador, PCMS  Stephen Decammo, PMSG Richard Tabigar and several other members of the Dagupan City Police Station. (Leonardo Micua) 

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