Comelec files vote-buying raps vs San Fernando City mayor

Comelec chair George Erwin Garcia —Niño Jesus Orbeta

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Election (Comelec) on Tuesday confirmed that a vote buying complaint was filed against reelectionist mayor of San Fernando City, the provincial capital of Pampanga.

Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia said the criminal case was filed by the poll body’s law department at the city’s Regional Trial Court against the local chief executive, her husband, and another official.

READ: Pampanga’s capital elects first woman mayor

Vilma Caluag is running for another term as mayor of San Fernando City, while Melchor Caluag is her husband.

Garcia said the complaint stemmed from the alleged vote buying incident in 2022.

“That’s what we’ve been saying,” Garcia said in an ambush interview. “Even if an official has been elected, we could still go after them in actions which occurred during their election bid.”

The mayor said she has yet to receive the copy of the Comelec complaint, according to a video of regional TV network CLTV.

Comelec proclaimed Caluag as the winning mayoral candidate after garnering 57,486 votes.