Comelec issues show cause order vs Palawan bet over free movie treat
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has asked Palawan congressional candidate Abraham Mitra to explain his Facebook posts on offering free movie tickets and showing up on screening day.
Comelec’s Committee on Kontra Bigay (CKB), in a show cause order dated April 8, but was furnished to the media on Friday, pointed out a Facebook post made by Mitra last April 2 in his official Facebook page Baham Mitra Official offering free limited tickets to a movie.
His post last April 3 then showed that he was present during the block screening of a movie with his supporters and other individuals.
READ: OCTA: Most Pinoys think vote-buying still rife; Comelec seeks help
CKB said that the Facebook posts constituted possible violation of Section 261 (a) of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC), in relation to Section 26 of the Comelec Resolution No. 11104.
Section 26 of the resolution states that “[t]he commission of the following acts, along with possession of campaign materials and other corroborative evidence, shall be presumed to be vote-buying and vote-selling: (b) offering or promising something of value in consideration for someone’s vote.”
“[Y]ou are hereby ordered to SHOW CAUSE in writing within a non-extendible period of three (3) days from receipt thereof and to explain why a complaint for election offense and/or a petition for disqualification should not be filed against you,” the order read.
Vote-buying and vote-selling are considered as election offenses under the Section 262 of the OEC.
The CKB is tasked to facilitate the filing of appropriate complaints for election offense or disqualification of candidates for vote-buying, vote-selling, or acts constituting ASR with the poll body’s law department or Clerk of the Commission.
CKB Commissioner-in-charge Ferdinand Maceda Jr. on Thursday said that the panel received 63 reports of alleged vote-buying and abuse of state resources (ASR).
He noted that a national candidate and three party-list groups are involved in the reports, meanwhile, he did not disclose their identities.
