MANILA Mayor and Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso yesterday brushed aside criticisms that his promise of cash assistance to 790 families displaced by last Sunday’s fire incident in Cavite city is tantamount to vote-buying.
Moreno has vowed to provide P10,000 to each of the families displaced by a fire that broke out in four barangays in Cavite City. The aid will come from his personal funds and donations from friends and supporters.
Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said Moreno’s action may constitute an election offense although he said it is not a form of vote-buying but may be considered a violation of the law that prohibits donations during the campaign period.
Section 104 of the Omnibus Election Code mandates that “no candidate shall during the campaign period, on the day before and on the day of the election, directly or indirectly, make any donation, contribution or gift in cash or in kind.”
Another election lawyer, Emil Maranon III, said Moreno’s promise of cash aid to the fire victims can count as vote-buying which is an election offense under the Omnibus Election Code.
Moreno disagreed, saying he only wants to help the fire victims in their time of need.
“Etoí½ tulong at saka hindi naman ang tao mananalong presidente sa 790 na pamilya.
Tulong yun, yun ang kusang tulong ng pribadong sektor at nung personal kung bagay. Yun ang pagiging kapwa tao. Ipinaparamdam mo sa kababayan mo na meron silang kapwa Pilipino na may malasakit din sa kapwa. But then again, they are entitled to do what they have to do (This is just an assistance and I doubt if the 790 families would be able to make a candidate win the election. It is an assistance from the private sector and from my personal funds. That is what we should do to ensure that the victims can feel that there are also Filipinos who cared for them. But then again, they are entitled to do what they have to do),” he said Tuesday in Lavezares, Northern Samar where he and his running mate are on the third day of their campaign sorties in Samar province.
