Group files vote-buying case vs Quezon City rep, councilor bets

Comelec headquarters in Intramuros, Manila. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — A group on Tuesday filed a vote-buying complaint before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) against a Quezon City congressional candidate and two councilor candidates.

At a press conference, the group Quezon City Against Corruption (QCAC) alleged former 4th District Rep. Bong Suntay and city councilor candidates Migs Suntay and Kiko Del Mundo committed the election offense through a “networking scheme” called “Ako at Walo.”

The elder Suntay is running for a House comeback in the same congressional district.

A copy of the complaint the group shared to the media said the scheme involved “[recruiting] four household leaders and eight people under them who in turn will also recruit eight other people under them.”

“In exchange for being recruited, each leader and the eight people under them would be given P1,000. They were also promised benefits such as “ayuda” if [the elder and younger Suntay and Del Mundo] win,” the complaint reads.

It also alleged that the plan required “each recruited person should definitely vote for” the three candidates.

Allegations

At the presser, the QCAC also presented a witness – identified only by the alias “Angel” – whom they say approached the group’s chairperson Janno Orate but did not say when.

Angel said a member of Suntay’s team had asked for their contact details sometime during the week including October 21, 2024.

They then received a message asking them to attend an “orientation” at the barangay hall of Barangay Pinagkaisahan sometime during the week of October 28, 2024.

“When I attended the orientation, we took attendance. After the attendance, they discussed the purpose of Ako at Walo. When that was discussed, they did a roll call… then they handed out an envelope, a brown envelope, with 1,000,” Angel said in Filipino.

The complaint further said that on February 11, 2025, several household leaders were gathered at the respondents’ campaign headquarters.

According to the complaint, Angel saw the household leaders were given a “green stub or voucher, where the faces and names of the respondents [were] printed on” and allegedly told the mechanics of the scheme.

It also said the three candidates made a personal appearance at the event, after which the attendees, including Angel, were made to sign a “pledge of commitment,” surrender the green stubs to a member of the campaign staff at the headquarters and receive P1,000 each in exchange.

The complaint further alleged that a third event took place on April 2, 2025 – after the local campaign period had begun.

The program was supposedly called a “talakayan” (discussion).

Attendees were asked to bring “green invitation stubs,” the complaint reads.

It added that after the program, attendees were told to surrender their stamped “green invitation stubs,” after which they received P500 each. This was lower than the P1,000 promised, the complaint noted.

Angel was again among the recipients.

“While the payout was ongoing, the respondents were in the vicinity loitering around and/or talking to some of the attendees,” the complaint reads.

When asked why they chose to file a complaint now when they supposedly attended the first event last October, Angel said in Filipino, “I could no longer stomach the state of things. Honor or votes need not be bought.”

“We did not file this on a whim. We’ve been gathering intelligence and monitoring this since October. Fortunately, we have a witness who’s strong, who’s willing to put their testimony in affidavit form,” QCAC lawyer Jess Falcis said at the presser.

‘Political move’

INQUIRER.net sought comment from both the elder and younger Suntay through their social media channels and through email, but they have yet to respond as of press time.

Del Mundo has denied the allegations against the three of them.

“It’s obviously a political move,” Del Mundo told INQUIRER.net in Filipino during a phone interview on Tuesday.

Del Mundo added that he and his camp have yet to receive a copy of the complaint as of this writing.

He also said that Orate and Falcis were being paid by Suntay’s opponent for the Quezon City 4th congressional district seat, Rep. Marvin Rillo.

At the press conference, Falcis said, “On my part, this has nothing to do with it (referring to Rillo). Whichever politician, no one is commanding me.”

Orate likewise said, “We’re not favoring anyone here. We just exercised our rights.”

When asked for further comment, Orate said in a message to INQUIRER.net on Tuesday evening, “Let him prove it because we’ll prove their vote-buying. Let him answer first for what ‘Ako at Walo’ is.”

Falcis also said Del Mundo had the burden of proof that Rillo paid him and Orate.

“He’s straying away from the issue. He’s not answering it head-on. Did he and the Suntays commit vote-buying through Ako at ang Walo?” Falcis said in a message to INQUIRER.net on Tuesday evening.

INQUIRER.net also sought comment from Rillo through social media and text message, but he has yet to respond as of this posting.

Del Mundo further accused Orate of wrongdoing.

“During the barangay election, he asked me for 500,000. He said he had people, 10,000 in Barangay Tatalon, whom he’ll call on if I gave him 500,000. Why would I give him that? Who even is he?” Del Mundo said.

Orate denied the allegation.

“Where did he get that story? Who would believe that someone running just to be on the barangay council would be asked for 500,000?” Orate said.