‘People in most barangays have been talking about so much money that flowed and pointed to certain prominent names in politics who dispensed bribe money to buy votes.’
THE camp of Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo should have known better than to undertake a demolition job against Mayor Marcy Teodoro and numerous councilors, leading to their suspension a month before the May 12 election.
Many voters in Barangays Parang, Fortune, and Marikina Heights who were initially for Quimbo reportedly became disgruntled with what seemed to be a patently unjust and humiliating ruling by the Ombudsman, without giving Teodoro and his group a chance to defend themselves.
This apparently fueled a political backlash that resonated throughout Marikina, leading to his huge victory as Congressman of District 1 over Sen. Koko Pimentel of the Quimbo party. His wife, Ma’an, also trounced Quimbo for the mayoralty post.
People in most barangays have been talking about so much money that flowed and pointed to certain prominent names in politics who dispensed bribe money to buy votes. They didn’t have any qualms admitting that they took the money but voted for another rival candidate. This practice has become popular despite the moral and social issues that should stand in the way. Countless voters who have succumbed to such offers unwittingly took part in the criminal act of bribery. By participating in vote-buying and whatever their intentions were, they have made it possible to complete the very act of bribery. Are you not pocketing the money of the people the wrong way, which will ultimately lead to a form of deeper corruption and electoral fraud? Is this not similar to taking the law into your own hands?
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Is it true that Malacanang was behind the surge of Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan to the Nos. 2 and 5 slots in the senatorial race? We heard that Benhur Abalos, Ramon Revilla and Willie Revillame, who were going downhill in the surveys, were dropped.
Election analysts call the sudden groundswell “command votes” that emanated from the Alyansa ng Bayan leadership. While online advocacy and propaganda against Abalos, Revill and Revillame became more intense each passing day, Aquino and Pangilinan were experiencing a looming abundant support from many regions. A voter turnout of 82%, unprecedented in our country’s history and the heavy influx of Millennial and Gen Z voters indeed made a huge difference.
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The Department of Interior and Government (DILG) should investigate the claim of re-elected Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto that barangays in his city had been receiving P3 million to P10 million a year, allegedly from the government. The amount varies depending on the size and population of each barangay.
There is, of course, a very limited paper trail that can incriminate the public officials involved in this patently unlawful disbursement. It came as no surprise that numerous barangay heads in Metro Manila alone have erected large residences in subdivisions and acquired luxurious vehicles. A sure political stronghold with barangay officials would be a major reason why a political dynasty in Pasig has remained entrenched for about 30 years before Sotto was elected mayor six years ago.
