Bingo games to hound Lims even after polls
THE father-and-son team of re-electionist Mayor Benjamin Lim and Brian Lim, candidate for vice mayor, under the Nacionalista Party (NP) face possible disqualification and recall of proclamation if it is proven that they have been holding bingo games during their campaign rallies.
Provincial Elections Supervisor Marino Salas said the holding of bingo games during an election campaign is a violation of the Omnibus Election Code as it is tantamount to the serious offense of vote-buying.
The bingo games were dubbed Bingo Bonanza based on the mark on the two bingo cards distributed by the Lims’ supporters in every household in the barangays.
The Liberal Party filed a complaint alleging the Lims and their fellow NP candidates to be behind the bingo games to entice people to attend their rallies.
At stake in every bingo game is a pot money of P20,000, plus other minor prizes, which the Comelec said is tantamount to vote buying.
The prizes in the bingo games are reportedly sourced from Magic Appliances owned by the Lims.
If the complaint is found meritorious, the Comelec will order the Provincial Election Supervisor or the Dagupan City Election Officer or the legal officer of the Comelec Regional Office to conduct an investigation.
Salas said if there is strong evidence based on the complaint of the Belen Fernandez-Michael Fernandez team, the Comelec Law Department will file the disqualification case against the respondents before the court.
He added that if probable cause can be established, the Lim father and son may be booted out as candidates if determined before the elections.
If found guilty of vote-buying through their Bingo Bonanza, they will be disqualified and could be penalized with six years imprisonment.
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