Lapu-Lapu Rep. Paz Radaza (left) and Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan. | CDN Digital file photos
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan denied the allegation that he distributed rice right from his house in Barangay Pajo.
Earlier, Lapu-Lapu Lone District Rep. Paz Radaza posted a video on her Facebook page showing some people getting out of a gate carrying a plastic bag filled with rice.
The gate allegedly is the entrance to the mayor’s house.
The post added that the rice distributed was allegedly already infested with black weevil.
“Matog na ta si Mama, kaso si Papa nag-overtime man lage og release sa bugas nga gibokbok. Matog nata Pa oy. Nakapirma na ba ang tanan? the post read.
(Mama is about to sleep, but papa is working overtime releasing rice with black weevil. Pa, let us go to sleep already. Have all signed already?)
Radaza even tagged the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) on the said post, insisting that the said act violated the election laws.
“Attention Commission on Elections, usa ka dakong kalapasan ang pagpanghatag og bisan unsa nga good items panahon sa kampanya. Nahitabo mismo sa balay sa mayor ang pagpanghatag sa bugas,” it added.
(Attention, Commission on Elections, it is a big violation to distribute rice or whatever items during the campaign season. This (allegedly) happened the distribution of rice at the house of the mayor.)
However, Lawyer Marchel Sarno, election officer of Comelec Lapu-Lapu City, encouraged the camp of Radaza to file a case in court if they had the proof.
Chan, for his part, strongly denied Radaza’s allegation.
“Wala ko’y panahon ana sa pag-distribute og bugas kay busy ta sa kampanya. In short, pulos ra na pagpanaot ilaha,” Chan said.
(I don’t have time to distribute rice because I am busy campaigning. In short, what they are doing are all mudslinging to destroy our reputation.)
Chan and Radaza would face off in the coming May 9 elections for the mayoralty race.
Comelec’s Sarno also admitted that it would be very hard to prove that there was an incident of vote-buying in the video posted by Radaza.
Sarno said that it had to be established first that a candidate had really an intent to buy the vote of the voter.
“Unsay purpose, kinsay nanghatag, ug unsay kuan kay ug ang paghatag ang tuyo kay ang pagpalit sa boto then that’s vote-buying. In the guise of donation pa na,” Sarno said.
(What is the purpose of the distribution, who distributed it, and for what because if the aim of the distribution of rice is to buy votes, then that’s vote-buying. In the guise of donation.)
RELATED STORIES
Ombudsman junks graft, grave misconduct raps vs Lapu-Lapu Mayor Chan
Chan, rival spar over drainage project at back of Lapu-Lapu city hall
Rep. Paz Radaza to run for Lapu-Lapu mayor in 2022 polls
Team Libre, Lapu-Lapu Mayor Chan file COCs
/dbs