3 nabbed for offering ‘poll victory’ for P90 million

MANILA, Philippines — Police apprehended three people posing as information technology or IT specialists in Marikina on Monday for allegedly offering two local candidates guaranteed victory in the May midterm elections in exchange for P90 million.

The three were arrested by the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in an entrapment operation in a fast-food restaurant in Barangay Calumpang.

The suspects told the politicians that they could rig the votes in their favor because they are connected with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), CIDG director Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III said.

The suspects, identified only through their aliases as Bernard, Donnie and Ronald, posed as employees of an IT company in Parañaque City.

Police have launched a manhunt for four other employees of the IT firm involved in the scam.

The operation against the suspects was conducted based on a complaint by two politicians who are running for mayor and vice mayor in the municipality of Enrile, Cagayan.

The suspects offered their services to the candidates to ensure their victory in the upcoming elections in exchange for P90 million.

“The amount includes the payment to be given to the suspects’ contacts at the Comelec,” Torre said.

“They have this kind of influence they are peddling and that they can manipulate the automated counting machines as well as the personnel operating these ACMs,” he added.

The victims told authorities that they first encountered the suspects in 2019. The suspects promised that they could tilt election results in the victims’ favor in exchange for cash.

The politicians refused the offer, confident that they would win the local posts, which their families have held for nearly three decades.

To their surprise, the candidates lost in the 2019 elections.

The suspects approached them again in 2022 and made a similar offer.

The victims gave the suspects P5 million and asked them not to interfere, but they still lost in the elections.

For the midterm elections in May, the victims handed around P2 million before they sought the CIDG’s help.

Comelec Commissioner Aimee Ferolino said the suspects are not employees of the poll body.

“Upon verifying our records, they are not regular or job order employees of the Comelec,” Ferolino told reporters.

The suspects are usually clad in jackets with the logo of the Comelec in their transactions.

Ferolino urged other possible victims to report to police so that more cases can be filed against the scammers.

The suspects are facing complaints for robbery and extortion in relation to Republic Act 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act and the Omnibus Election Code.