Isko: Disqualify Lim for giving out pedicabs

MANILA, Philippines – Re-electionist Vice Mayor Isko Moreno wants Mayor Alfredo Lim disqualified for giving out pedicabs under a government project during the campaign season.

“A desperate move from their camp, patalo na kasi (He’s set to lose in the elections),” said Moreno, running mate of Lim’s rival, former President Joseph Estrada.

Lim and running mate councilor Lou Veloso awarded pedicab units in the city’s 5th district on Friday, April 26. Prior to this, Lim had distributed an initial 40 pedicab units for drivers from Districts 2 and 3 during turnover ceremonies held at the Rasac covered court on Wednesday, April 24.

Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau chief Nancy Villanueva said that the distribution of pedicab units falls under the city government’s “Boundary-Hulog,” a program launched last year to give pedicab drivers their own units, applying the “boundary system.”

The system requires pedicab drivers to remit a minimum amount from their daily earnings. The local government unit will collect P100 a day from recipients for 4 months to acquire new pedicabs.

“The initial batches of such pedicab units are part of the total of 240 pedicab units which will be evenly distributed among the 6 districts of Manila, depending on the number of drivers existing in each district,” Villanueva said in a statement. 

Lim said that “while the program had been there since last year, the pedicab units and the background checking for the qualified recipients were finished only a month ago.”

But for his political rivals, this is an “illegal, clear violation of the election code.”

Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code lists as among prohibitions: “Any person who gives, offers or promises money or anything of value…in order to induce anyone or the public in general to vote for or against any candidate.”

Moreno said of the distribution of pedicabs: “That is vote buying, using money or any other form of favors and material things to gain votes more so utilizing government resources in his favor during the campaign period.”

“He should be disqualified by the Comelec,” he added. – Rappler.com