SPD reports vote-buying in 3 cities

MANILA, Philippines - Police officers from the Southern Police District (SPD) responded to reports of vote-buying in Pasay, Taguig and Parañaque yesterday but no arrests were made, an official said yesterday.

SPD director Chief Superintendent Jose Erwin Villacorte said they have responded to reports of people lining up in certain areas to receive money in exchange for their votes, but those apprehended claimed the money they received was their allowance as poll watchers.

“Vote-buying is very hard to prove so police are helpless in going after suspects,” he said.

To foil reported vote-buying activities, Villacorte said they deploy police teams in areas where people are seen lining up. In Taguig, police officers foiled an alleged attempt to buy votes at a compound in Signal Village Sunday afternoon.

Taguig deputy police chief Superintendent Celso Rodriguez, who also heads the city’s anti-vote-buying task force, said they were on patrol when they chanced upon a group of people queueing in a compound at the corner of MRT Avenue and Rongo street.

Rodriguez said they were told that people had lined up reportedly to receive P300 to vote for a congressional candidate. He said they immediately coordinated with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) but they were barred from entering the compound.

He added that people began to leave the compound upon seeing police officers and Comelec officers monitoring their activities.