A man was arrested for suspected vote-buying in Barangay Lutaw, Bacong, Negros Oriental, on Saturday afternoon, May 11. Authorities apprehended the suspect around 2:00 p.m. at a police checkpoint after finding several envelopes containing sample ballots stapled with paper bills inside the U-box of his motorcycle.
According to Police Captain Stephen Jaynard Polinar, spokesperson for the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, the suspect was initially flagged down for not wearing a helmet while riding his motorcycle. Upon being stopped, he was asked to present his driver’s license and motorcycle registration documents.
As officers conducted a routine inspection, they opened the motorcycle’s utility box (U-box) and discovered numerous envelopes. Inside each envelope were sample ballots accompanied by money, which raised suspicions of vote-buying activities related to the ongoing barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
The suspect has been charged with violating Section 26 of COMELEC Resolution No. 11104, which pertains to presumed acts of vote-buying and vote-selling. The case is currently under further investigation by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) under its “Kontra Bigay” campaign to determine the origin of the ballots and cash, as well as the full extent of the operation.
Despite the serious nature of the allegations, the suspect has been temporarily released from the detention facility pending the results of the investigation. Authorities have yet to disclose where the suspect intended to distribute the envelopes or who may be behind the scheme.
The incident highlights growing concerns over electoral integrity in the province and the need for tighter enforcement of election laws. Vote-buying remains a persistent problem in Philippine elections, undermining democratic processes and fair competition among candidates.
COMELEC officials remind the public that engaging in or tolerating vote-buying is a criminal offense, and both givers and recipients may face legal consequences. Law enforcement units across the country continue to monitor activities leading up to the elections to maintain order and ensure honest results.
As the investigation progresses, authorities urge residents to report any similar suspicious activities to the nearest police station or COMELEC office.