Ex-senator withdraws, decries vote buying

MANILA, Philippines — Former senator Heherson Alvarez yesterday withdrew his candidacy for congressman in the fourth district of Isabela, saying he could not continue participating in a “political sham” due to massive vote buying.

“I had hoped that this election would have been my last effort to render public service after several decades of cumulative experience. I am grateful for having been endorsed by our President as the standard bearer of our political party,” said Alvarez, who belongs to the ruling PDP-Laban.

“Unfortunately, the massive and overwhelming vote buying in my district and hometown makes this electoral process a sham. Vote buying is vote killing and is as destructive to our democracy as illegal drug is destructive to our physical well-being,” he said.

The former senator and former Cabinet member did not say who was buying votes. There were reports that P700 to P1,700 was being given to every voter.

With the withdrawal of Alvarez, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said there would be no substitution for Alvarez.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said substitution for voluntary withdrawal is no longer allowed, based on existing policies of the poll body.

Under Sec. 33 of Comelec Resolution No. 10451 promulgated on Oct. 1, 2018, “no substitution due to withdrawal shall be allowed after Nov. 29, 2018.”  

However, the substitute for a candidate who died or was disqualified by final judgment may file a certificate of candidacy up to mid-day of election day, provided that “the substitute and the substituted have the same surnames.”

Jimenez added those who withdrew their candidacies like Alvarez are still required to submit their Statement of Contribution and Expenditures (SOCE).

Based on the Comelec certified list of candidates, Alvarez has five opponents: Giorgidi Aggabao of Nationalist People’s Coalition, Alyssa Sheena Tan of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Amelita Navarro of Nacionalista Party, Jeany Coquilla of Democratic Party of the Philippines and Nick de Guzman, an independent.

Aggabao is a former congressman who served three terms or nine years. The incumbent representative of the fourth district is his wife Lourdes.

Tan is reportedly a niece of the mayor of Santiago City.

“I have risked my life, including the lives of my loved ones, in fighting a dictator to help restore democracy in this country so that our countrymen will have the freedom to speak, decide and choose. It saddens me gravely that what we have fought for has been forgotten and ignored with this blatant merchandising of the people’s will to choose,” Alvarez said.

He claimed that vote buying “is a massive practice all over the country and a public knowledge tolerated by the majority.” 

“We must renounce it, denounce it and withdraw our tolerance to it, or our democracy will wither away.

“Our President has issued a warning to jail the perpetrators of vote buying. Let us stand up and assist the President to strengthen our democratic system and enable our people to exercise the right of precious suffrage as freemen in a robust and free community,” he said.

Alvarez added people should “not tolerate those who cheat and engage in vote buying to occupy the honored government offices of power and responsibility that enable them to harm with impunity our national interest.”

Authorities noted some candidates are resorting to vote buying instead of violence to force their victory in the upcoming elections.

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Col. Bernard Banac said this has been the trend as incidents of vote buying have become more rampant as election day draws near.

He noted incidents of election-related violence has gone down by 62 percent while reports of vote-buying incidents has alarmingly increased.

Government agencies this week launched Task Force Kontra Bayad in a bid to stop vote buying during elections. 

The PNP has formed 105 special teams directed to address vote buying in the regional, provincial and city levels. 

A total of nine incidents of vote buying have been reported, where 26 suspects have been identified, officials said.

Elsewhere, 17 people were arrested in Muntinlupa City for alleged vote buying while a council aspirant and six of his supporters were detained for questioning over a reported vote-buying incident in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.

A suspected vote-buyer was arrested in Malabon on Friday where lawmen seized from him several envelopes containing P300 each.

Authorities urged voters to gather video recordings of people involved in vote-buying activities.

Major Gen. Cirilito Sobejana of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division in Mindanao said allegations of vote buying posted on Facebook cannot be used as evidence in prosecution of offenders.

“We can’t rely on Facebook posts. We need pieces of evidence that we can submit to the Commission on Elections,” Sobejana said.

He said concerned citizens can collect phone video clippings and photos of culprits that they can submit to either the police or the military for immediate action.

The party-list group Anakpawis called for concerted action against vote buying and fraud in Monday’s vote.

“Let us wage a people’s war against vote buying and work against the schemes of politicians who are capitalists investing in elections and raking profit once in power,” Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao said.

Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) emeritus national chair Henrietta de Villa urged the expected 61 million voters to discern their choices. – Sheila Crisostomo, Romina Cabrera, Evelyn Macairan, John Unson, Marc Jason Cayabyab, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Roel Pareño