Comelec issues 5 show cause orders

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday issued show cause orders to senatorial candidate Las Piñas Rep. Camille A. Villar and four other candidates running for local posts in the May 12 elections.

In a show cause order sent to reporters, the poll body said Ms. Villar “participated in activities that involve the distribution of prizes by the candidates or their supporters or by any person in which the names of the candidates are mentioned.”

It added that videos and photos of the event showed banners and signages of her bearing her name and image, along with the banners of Villar Group companies.

The poll body had given Ms. Villar a non-extendible period of three (3) days from receipt to explain why she should not be disqualified.

In a statement on Tuesday, Ms. Villar denied any allegation or insinuation of vote buying or any other election offense, explaining that the event took place on Feb. 9 before the official start of the campaign period.

Comelec has also issued show cause orders to four other candidates due to their alleged involvement in vote buying or the use of social welfare programs during campaign activities.

Among them were Palawan congressional candidate Abraham Mitra, Nueva Ecija congressional candidate Emersion Pascual, and Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro mayoral candidate and vice-mayoral candidate Edna Cantos Villas.

Article 12 of the Omnibus Election Code penalizes vote-buying and vote-selling with not less than one year to six years of imprisonment. — Adrian H. Halili