The reported clamor for candidates to minimize, if not to stop vote-buying for the nearing midterm polls seems to be far from reality.

The bleak forecast surfaced even as the election is still four months away as candidates for municipal councilor lined up under the group of former Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco, Jr.  received P10,000 each during a meeting convened by the gubernatorial bet at Reyna’s Haven in Tagbilaran City last Friday morning.

Board Member “Aga” Avenido who is running for congressman in the second district under the Padayon Bol-anon coalition led by Evasco’s rival, Deputy Speaker Arthur Yap, raised the claim after some councilors confirmed that indeed they were given the said amount.

Having released such amount this early, it can be predicted that the budget to buy votes in the May polls will amount to millions of pesos, he said.

“Maoni ang kinadako-an nga gipanghatag sa mga kandidato pagka konsehal sukad-sukad,” Avenido added.

This was also confirmed by several of those who attended last Friday’s meeting.

“Who said Evasco has no money?”  the congressional candidate said after he speculated that the 2019 polls could go down the history of Bohol politics as the most costly with even candidates for councilor given such an amount.

The statement of the board member came as reports revealed that bets for mayor and vice mayor under the Evasco-Abapo tandem will be meeting this week.

A reliable source said that these bets will be given P50,000 to P100,000 each during the scheduled meeting. 

BM Avenido said that during his nine-year stint as town councilor of Trinidad before he was elected Provincial Board member, he could not remember receiving money from gubernatorial bets reaching more than P1,000.