Person distributing money during poll watchers’ training nabbed

Navotas police and election officers on Wednesday arrested an individual who was caught distributing envelopes containing P300 to P500 during a poll watchers’ training event.

Operation Kontra Bigay, led by Navotas City Election Officer Gregorio Bonifacio and Police Colonel Mario Cortes, was conducted at a warehouse in Barangay San Jose, Navotas City.

According to the report shared by Comelec Chairman George Garcia, a woman with an address in Malabon City “was caught in the act of distributing envelopes with money worth 300 to 500 pesos inside.” 

“Accordingly, all were registered voters of Malabon and were conducting Watchers Training at the place of incident, with more or less 200 persons inside the warehouse,” it added.

According to the spot report provided by the PNP, the total value seized is at P363,900.

In a press conference, Garcia said the Comelec will intensify the implementation of laws against vote-buying, especially now that the polls are fast approaching.

“Hindi namin papalampasin ang isyu ng vote-buying. Lalong lalo na’t alam natin na sa mga susunod na araw, ‘yang pamimili ng boto ang magiging norm kaysa exception. And therefore, sana nga magtulong-tulong ‘yung ating mga kababayan. Paki-report niyo po kaagad sa Comelec, sa website namin, ‘yung mga isyu patungkol sa vote-buying,” the Comelec chief said.

(We will not let the issue of vote-buying pass, especially in the coming days where this will be a norm rather than exception. We appeal for the help of our countrymen. Please report them immediately on our website.)

The barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls will take place on Monday, October 30. — BM, GMA Integrated News