Comelec probes senatorial bet's iPad giveaway

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is investigating a Liberal Party (LP) candidate for purportedly holding a contest for voters to win an Apple gadget.

Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said in a radio report on Tuesday that the politician, in a possibly illegal campaigning move, called for contestants to join an event through which they can win an iPad.

"May pa-contest, 'pag nanalo bibigyan ka ng iPad," Brillantes said, adding that the candidate can be disqualified for the violation.

Although the poll body refused to disclose the name of the particular candidate being probed, LP senate bet Maria Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal posted a similar contest on her Twitter account @TheRealJamby last February 15.

The images above were taken taken on Tuesday, February 19, 2013.

The link leading to a Facebook page, however, had already been deleted as of Tuesday afternoon.

The Comelec chair also described the contest's rules requiring participants to complete the phrase "Corruption is bad because ..." for a chance to win the gadget.

Brillantes added that his team's steps to sanction campaign rule violators should serve as warning to other candidates.

He said Comelec is currently studying whether they will file a case against the political hopeful.