Lim, NP team facing probe for “Bingo Bonanza”
ELECTORAL OFFENSE
DAGUPAN Mayor Benjamin S. Lim and members of the Nacionalista Party ticket are facing possible disqualification and imprisonment if the Commission on Elections (Comelec) determines that the “Bingo Bonanza” they are organizing prior to their mini rallies in the city’s barangays are deemed violations of the campaign and election rules.
A complaint was filed by the Liberal Party in Dagupan alleging that the bingo games that pay as much as P20,000 cash prize in addition to home appliances to winners are held before each mini rally of the Lim-Lim-Lim ticket.
The games are advertised as a promotions activity of the Magic Group of Companies, which is owned by the Lims.
The LP complaint was filed last week before the Comelec.
The complaint was signed by mayoralty candidate Belen Fernandez, her runningmate Michael Fernandez, and Maybelyn Fernandez, Karlos Reyna, Jeslito Seen, Alfie Fernandez, Jose Netu Tamayo, Alfredo Quinto, Marilyn Manaois-Reyna, Saysi Samson, Solo de Venecia and Marvin Fabia.
Provincial Elections Supervisor Marino Salas said the City Elections Office headed by Erickson Organisa immediately forwarded the complaint to Manila as soon as it was received on April 17.
Earlier, Salas said the holding of bingo games during campaign rallies is an election offense and those responsible, if he is a candidate, faces disqualification aside from imprisonment of one to six years.
“BB” MARK
The bingo cards being used are marked “BB”, the same branding used by the NP in its posters promoting “Benjie-Brian”, the father-and-son tandem.
Bingo games were already held in Bonuan Binloc, where Barangay chairman Pedro Gonzales personally distributed the BB bingo cards to his constituents. Games-cum political rallies were also held in Barangays Pogo Chico, Malued and Pugaro.
The LPs cited reports that Lim, his son and their candidates for councilor were repeatedly endorsed in those occasions.
VOTE-BUYING,
ILLEGAL GAMBLING
The LP also said that after each rally, the father and son Lim distributed grocery packs who joined the bingo-rallies.
The LP team quoted the Omnibus Election Code, Sec. 261 enumerating prohibited acts during the election which states: “The following shall be guilty of an election offense: Vote-buying and vote-selling. Any person who gives, offers or promises money or anything of value, gives or promises any office or employment, franchise or grant, public or private, or makes or offers to make an expenditure, directly or indirectly, or cause an expenditure to be made to any person, association, corporation, entity, or community in order to induce anyone or the public in general to vote for or against any candidate or withhold his vote in the election, or to vote for or against any aspirant for the nomination or choice of a candidate in a convention or similar selection process of a political party.”
At the same time, the LP team said the holding of bingo games by the Lim party is also violative of Presidential Orders and the Illegal Gambling Law.
Outside of the election period, bingo games are permitted by law if an ordinance is passed or a DSWD permit is issued for specific date and for charity purposes.
In their letter to the police, the LP team pleaded: “Confident that the PNP Dagupan members are faithful to their sworn duty, we are strongly requesting that these reported illegal activities be monitored, stopped and the strongest warning be issued, preparatory to arrests, as warranted.”
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