Niña Mabatid denies giving ‘pakapin’ to seniors
Senior citizens were seen holding small brown bags as they leave the campaign headquarters of Cebu City Councilor Niña Mabatid on Monday, May 9. | Wenilyn Sabalo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu City Councilor Prisca Niña Mabatid has admitted to having distributed paper bags to her constituents, especially the senior citizens who dropped by her campaign headquarters early on Monday morning, on their way to the Mabolo Elementary School to vote.
But she denied insinuations that these contained cash amounting to P500.
“Hayman ang pakapin?” was Mabatid’s reply when sought for comment on accusations of vote buying against her.
Mabatid, Barug PDP Laban’s candidate for the north congressional district, said the bags that she gave out contained meals consisting of puso and bola-bola that were prepared and distributed by her volunteers.
“Dili ko kinahanglan mopalit og boto diri sa Barangay Mabolo kay bisag di pa siguro ko manghatag og mga ayuda gani, pagkangan nga taga-Mabolo ko, tabangan g’yud ko nila. Samot nag daghan kong natabang nila, so ang storya ana, kana ra sang mga intriga,” she added.
But Mabolo barangay Frank Gajudo, who is allied with Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), is suspicious of Mabatid’s motives.
“Ang ato lang question ana nganong manghatag man siya karon or karon man siya magpakaon sa eleksiyon,” he said.
Gajudo said that in a meeting held earlier, Mabatid invited senior citizens to visit her house and join her for breakfast before they cast their votes on May 9.
The lady City Councilor, he alleged, also promised to give “pakapin” (something extra) to those who will come see her.
“Of course not. Dili mapalit ang boto sa mga senior citizens sa Mabolo. It’s out of love [if they vote for me]. Silingan gud mi diri,” Mabatid said.
A senior citizen, who refused to be named, told CDN Digital that her paper bag indeed contained puso and bola bola.
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/ dcb
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