MANILA, Philippines (3rd UPDATE) – Quezon City mayoral candidate Vincent “Bingbong” Crisologo was arrested for obstruction of justice on Sunday night, May 12, at an alleged vote buying site.

Crisologo allegedly intervened when cops tried to arrest his staffers, thus the obstruction of justice allegation.

Quezon City Police District chief Brigadier General Joselito Esquivel earlier told Rappler that Crisologo himself had been arrested for vote buying.

As of posting, the mayoral bet is in custody at Camp Karingal. 

“Under investigation pa, pero sa vote buying site siya at the time (The incident is still under investigation, but he was at the vote buying site at the time),” Esquivel told Rappler in a text message.

Crisologo, currently the congressman of Quezon City’s 1st District, is running for mayor against Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte. He is running under the banner of President Rodrigo Duterte’s PDP-Laban.

In a phone interview, PDP-Laban campaign spokesperson Ron Munsayac told Rappler that non-uniformed cops showed up as their Quezon City staff was preparing watchers’ kits.

“As a leader, siyempre ayaw ni Bingbong na ipaaresto mga tao niya, kasi walang ginagawang mali. So pinosasan sya at dinetain,” Munsayac said.

(As a leader, of course Bingbong didn’t want his people to be arrested, since they weren’t doing anything wrong. So he was handcuffed and detained.)

Munsayac said there was no cash there, only identification cards and other items.

“We will look into this, kung may nagkamali sa pulis, or ‘pag may pagkakamali ang kapartido, ‘di namin kukunsintihin. Nananawagan kami sa PNP (Philippine National Police) leadership na imbestigahan ito, baka merong mali, baka nagagamit na ‘yung kapulisan sa pulitika,” he also said.

(We will look into this, if the police made a mistake, or if our party mates committed wrongdoing, we won’t tolerate it. We call on the PNP leadership to investigate this, there might’ve been a mistake, maybe the police force is being used for politics.) – with reports from Camille Elemia/Rappler.com