As close to a million voters will troop to the various voting precincts, massive vote buying has marred tomorrow’s Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
Provincial Comelec Supervisor Eliseo Labaria said there are 838,533 registered voters for the barangay elections and some 319,646 for the SK who will be casting their votes in 1,066 precincts in the entire province.
A random interview conducted by the Chronicle revealed that a candidate for barangay kagawad spends either P20 or P50 per voter and these stapled money reached the voters as early as yesterday while the distribution will continue today.
What was shocking is, in Poblacion II in this capital city, the vote buying spree reached to P600 per voter for the position of barangay captain. In most barangays, the “vote buy” budget for barangay captains runs from P250 to P300 per voter.
A candidate for barangay kagawad admitted to the Chronicle that he budgeted P200,000 to be given to 4,000 voters at P50 each in order to ensure winning in their seven-man slate barangay council.
The unabated vote buying was noticeable in this particular barangay and SK election as hundreds of candidates trooped to JJ’s Seafood Village, Dao Diamond and Reyna’s Haven last Thursday to claim some fund assistance from top incumbent provincial and congressional officials.
This synchronized barangay and SK election is virtually viewed as a “dress rehearsal” for next year’s local and national officials which will elect mayors, governors, congressmen and senators.
In fact, the reason cited why some 336 barangay captains are running unopposed is because of the intervention of town mayors who arranged for some candidates not to be opposed ensuring that the winners will already be his “campaigners” for next year’s elections.
In the midst of this massive vote buying, Barangay captain Edwin Pilongo Cuenca of Tupas, Antequera town said he will file a test case on vote-buying if his supporters can arrest even one violator.
He issued this warning following reports that a supporter of one of the candidates has already conducted house-to-house to distribute money as “inangayan” to voters ahead of the elections.
If indeed this is true, he urged those who received the money to stand up so that a formal complaint will be filed against the giver-candidate, he said in his FB post.
“Akong barugan ang akong gipamulong nga akong personal file-lan ug disqualification case ang maong kandidato nga wa mitunong sa sabot. Akong barugan ang akong gipamulong nga mo-resign ako sa akong katungdanan kong di ako mo-action sa sumbong nga adunay namalit ug boto.” (I will stand firm on my word to file a complaint against the candidate who did not observe what they have agreed earlier thru a signed covenant of no vote buying. I will resign from my job if no complaint is filed).
The massive vote buying is noted even as in some areas there is a signing of covenants which included a vow not to buy votes in tomorrow’s political exercise.
Candidates for the synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in Tagbilaran City signed the “Peace Covenant” last Thursday at the Cogon Shrine.
Earlier last week, Bishop Abet Uy of the Diocese of Tagbilaran issued his appeal against vote buying as he beamed his message through station dyRD. The church official was known to have curbed vote buying in his previous assignment before he was appointed as bishop by conducting a multi-sectoral drive identifying the houses which publicly said will not receive money from candidates.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) earlier went around Bohol to ask candidates to sign the covenant.
Candidates in Antequera had their turn to sign the covenant last Saturday at the Antequera Training Center.
Candidates in Candijay had theirs on April 29 at the St. Joseph Parish in the town.
The PNP has been deputized by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to initiate the Peace Covenant signing as part of the comprehensive security plan.
The PNP’s comprehensive security plan is aimed at ensuring safe and fair conduct of the synchronized Barangay and SK Elections.
Comelec Provincial Election Supervisor Labaria, Comelec Regional Election Supervisor Veronico Petalcorin, Police Provincial Director Angeles Geñorga Jr. led the send-off ceremonies for troops deployed to secure the elections tomorrow. Some 1,104 additional policemen arrived last Thursday to ensure a peaceful election.
The send-off ceremony at Plaza Rizal in Tagbilaran City was also attended by Acting Vice-Governor Venzencio Arcamo, Provincial Administrator Alfonso Damalerio II and City Administrator Edi Borja.
There were 28,205 candidates who filed their certificates of candidacy for the barangay and SK elections.
WINNERS PROCLAIMED
WITHIN THE DAY
Comelec Supervisor Labaria told the Chronicle that winners in tomorrow’s synchronized polls can be proclaimed within the day.
For single precinct voting area, the Board of Election Tellers will automatically be the Board of Canvassers who will proclaim the winners at the precinct level.
For those multi-precinct voting places, a separate Board of Canvassers was already created by the Election Registrar of each municipality wherein the results from each precinct will be brought to a designated room within the same school campus used as voting precincts.
The city has the most number of precincts totalling to 162. Other places with the most number of precincts are Ubay, 138, Loon 105, Talibon 104 and Carmen 96.
336 BRGY CAPTAINS
RUNNING UNPPOSED
Of the aspirants for the position of punong barangay in the entire Bohol, 336 are running unopposed.
It is only in Anda that all the candidates for punong barangay have contenders.
In the first district, the barangays with unopposed candidates for punong barangay are Bahi, San Agustin, Toril, and West Poblacion in the town of Alburquerque; Can-omay, Quinapon-an , Santo Rosario, Tabuan, and Villa Aurora in Antequera; Poblacion 1, Poblacion 2, Abucay Norte, Abucay Sur, Badiang, Bahay-Bahay, Cambuac Sur, Can-agong, and Libjo in Sikatuna; Abucayan Sur, Banlasan, Cabayugan, Camias, Mandaug, Sampoangon, San Isidro, Tinibgan, and Tultugan in Calape; Boyog Proper, Boyog Sur, Cabad, Del Carmen Norte, Del Carmen Sur, San Isidro, Santo Niño, Tagustusan in Balilihan; Agahay, Dipatlong, Punsod, and San Vicente in Maribojoc; Bolod in Panglao; Cambanac, San Isidro, and Montaña in Baclayon; Malayo Norte, Poblacion, Lourdes, Dela Paz, Monserat, and San Roque in Cortes; Dao, Cogon, Tiptip, and Mansasa in Tagbilaran City; Poblacion, Mahayag Norte, Mahayag Sur, Sinakayanan, Triple Union, Kang-iras, Cambailan, and Bongbong in Catigbian; Sambog, Anislag, and Cancatac in Corella; Bahi, Cabacongan, Campatud, Candaigan, Canhangdon, Canigaan, Cansubayon, Cantam-is Baslay, Catagbacan Norte, Genomoan, Lintuan, Moto Sur, Nueva Vida, Pondol, Sondol, Song-on, Talisay, Tontonan, and Tubodacu in Loon; Bagongbanwa Bosongon, Buenos Aires, Cabulijan, Macaas, Mocaboc island, Pinayagan Sur, and Pooc Oriental in Tubigon; and Tabalong in Dauis.
In the second district, the barangays with unopposed candidates for punong barangay are Puerto San Pedro and Tuboran in Bien Unido; San Francisco; San Jose, Magsaysay, and Guindacpan in Talibon; Alumar, Banacon, Buyog, Cabasakan, Handumon, Jandayan Sur, Mahanay, Pandanon, Saguise, Salog, San Jose, Poblacion, and Taytay in Getafe.
In San Isidro, the barangays are 1.Abehilan , 2.Cansague Norte, 3.Caimbang, 4. Baryong Daan, 5.Cabanugan.
In Sagbayan, the barangays are Calangahan, Canmaya Centro, Canmaya Diot, Kagawasan, Langtad, Libertad Norte, Libertad Sur, Poblacion, Sta.Cruz, San Vicente Norte, San Vicente Sur, and Ubojan.
In Clarin, the barangays are Tontonan, Comaang, Caluwasan, Poblacion Centro, and Nahawan,
\In Ubay, the barangays are Benlie, Biabas, Buenavista, Camali-an, Gabi, Humay-Humay, Lomangog, and Tubog.
Dagohoy, the barangays are La Esperanza, Malitbog , Santa Cruz, and Villa Aurora.
In Danao, the barangays are Magtangtang, Ibale, San Miguel, Poblacion, Santa Fe, and Dagohoy.
In San Miguel, the barangays are Caluwasan, Garcia, Kagawasan, Tomoc, Mahayag, and San Vicente.
In President CPG, the barangays are Cabangcalan, Aguining, Timbulo, and Tugas.
In Trinidad, the barangayas Bongbong and Santo Tomas.
The other barangays in second district are Poblacion , Cawayan, Ilaya, Lonoy Cainsican, Riverside, Anonang, Dagnawan, Ilihan, Lutao, Badiang, Dagohoy, Lapacan Norte, Mabuhay, Cagayan, Datag, Lapacan Sur, Ma. Rosario, Calinte, Fatima, Liloan Sur, and Ondol in Inabanga.
In the third district, the barangays are Garcia, Poblacion Sur, Rizal, Rosariohan, and Santa Cruz in Batuan; Bugang Norte, Cambigsi, Cansumbol, Rizal and Roxas in Bilar; Canlambong, Guindaguitan, Bauhugan, Cambayaon, Limokon Ilaud, Casingan, Datag, Banban, Banban, Taongon Cabatuan, and Taongon Can –andam in Dimiao; Taytay and Angilan in Duero; Bayong, Biabas, and Bato in Guindulman; Casilay, Danicop, Dusita, Salvador, Cahayag, San Jose, and Nan-od in Sierra Bullones.
The other barangays in third district are Abaca, Baybayon, Cabidian, Concepcion, Poblacion, Del Mar, Minol, San Isidro, San Jose, and Tambo in Mabini; 1.Katipunan 2.Sudlon 3. Del Monte in Alicia; 1.San Isidro 2. Tugas 3.Cadapdapan in Candijay; 1.Poblacion Norte 2. Villarcayo 3. Bicao 4. El Progreso 5. Guadalupe 6. La Victoria 7. Montesuerte 8. Monte Video 9. Nueva Vida Este 10.Nueva Vida Norte11.Nueva Vida Sur 12. Tamboan 13. Vallehermoso in Carmen.
In Lila, the barangays are 1.Bonkokan Ubos 2. Nagsulay 3. Malinao East 4. Poblacion 5. Jambawan, 6. Calvario 7. Catugasan 8. La Fortuna.
In Garcia Hernandez- -1.Abijilan 2.Cagwang 3.Catmon 4.Datag 5.Estaca 6.Libertad 7.Sacaon 8.East Ubujan 9.Victoria.
In Loay- -1.Agape 2.Alegria Sur 3. Poblacion Ubos 4.Tayong Occidental.
In Jagna- -Bunga Ilaya and Pagina.
In Sevilla- -1.Bayawahan 2.Calinginan Norte 3.Calinginan Sur 4.Cambagui 5.Giunob-an 6.Lagtangan 7. Lobgob 8.Magsaysay 9.Poblacion.
In Valencia- -1.Adlawan 2. Balingasao 3. Banderahan 4.Botong 5. Canduao Oriental 6. Canmanico 7. Cansibao 8.Catug-a 9.Cutcutan 10.Danao 11.Genoveva 12.Limocon 13.Magsaysay 14.Marawis 15.Maubo 16.Nailo 17.Simang 18.Tausion.
In Loboc- -1.Bagumbayan 2.Bonbon lower 3.Bonbon Upper 4.Bugho 5.Cabadiangan 6.Calunasan Sur 7.Camayaan 8. Candabong 9.Candasag 10. Canlasid 11.Jimilian 12. Oy 13.Poblacion Ondol 14. Quinogitan 15.Taytay 16.Tigbao 17 Ugpong 18.Villaflor.