CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it was investigating allegations of massive vote-buying during the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections in Cagayan de Oro, especially in the city’s most densely populated village, where some voters were reportedly given substantial amounts of money by candidates.

Brigadier General Ricardo Layug Jr., PNP-Northern Mindanao director, said the regional police office was closely coordinating with the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) to identify individuals who allegedly received money from candidates.

These individuals include netizens who posted allegations of massive vote-buying in Barangay Carmen since October 28.

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P6,000 per vote? Cagayan de Oro barangay faces massive vote-buying controversy

Nestor Banuag, head of the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) in the city, claimed that as much as P6,000 each was given to some voters in Carmen, where two local political families clashed.

“We have not received any formal complaints yet. We will need affidavits,” Layug said.

Layug said they have a dedicated team for monitoring social media platforms. However, he said the allegations made on social media need to be translated into formal complaints for the police to take action.

According to Layug, social media has prompted the PNP to “patrol cyberspace,” which has added to their workload.

Layug also noted that while allegations on social media are one thing, catching those involved in vote-buying red-handed is much harder.

He said the police were gathering and consolidating information about the allegations in Carmen.

“We will continue our investigation. This will be done even after the elections,” Layug said.

So far, he said, authorities have arrested only two violators in Northern Mindanao under the Kontra Bigay campaign of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Layug said the two arrests for vote-buying occurred when they stopped a motorcycle at one of their checkpoints. 

The driver, according to the police, was found with bundles of cash and sample ballots in his backpack in a town in Bukidnon. – Rappler.com