Ilocos Norte – Police have lodged three cases of alleged vote buying against candidates vying for village posts in Ilocos Norte.
According to Philippines News Agency, director of the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office, the charges were filed before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office on Monday. Two of the cases originated from Ilocos Norte’s capital city, while the third came from the town of Piddig.
“All reports and complaints on vote buying are properly acted upon if you help us gather and provide evidence,” Suriben stated, revealing that they have received about 10 election-related violations so far, with others still under investigation. He also called on the public to report complaints related to the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections directly to the nearest police station rather than posting them on social media.
In a bid to ensure a smooth election process, Suriben informed that the police have deployed quick reaction teams to validate and assess all received reports. “This election is so far the most peaceful and we hope this continues until the election is over,” he said. Since the start of the filing of the certificate of candidacy on August 28, at least 25 quick reaction teams and additional security personnel have been deployed in areas of election concern.
Comelec data shows a total of 3,319 candidates, 442,385 registered regular voters, and 142,082 Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) voters across 559 villages in Ilocos Norte. However, some villages in Batac City and Vintar town do not have candidates running for SK chairman and council members. On election day, at least two police officers were assigned per polling center, equipped with handheld radios to maintain communication.
Senator Ma. Imelda “Imee” Marcos, after casting her vote, urged for the extension of the terms of Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials to five or six years. “What we always do is to extend their terms, so it would be better if we revisit the law and extend their term by five to six years,” she said. Marcos also suggested a restructuring for SK, proposing one representative per barangay. She serves as the first national chairman of the Kabataang Barangay, created in 1975 to give youth a platform for representation.