COMELEC ISSUES SCO VS 3 METRO MANILA MAYORAL BETS, 6 OTHERS

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued show cause orders (SCO) against three candidates for mayors of Metro Manila and six others for possible election violation.

Comelec chairperson George Garcia on Thursday said Task Force Kontra Bigay directed the nine candidates to explain following accusations of vote buying and use of government resources during their campaign activities.

Among those issued show cause orders are Manila mayoral bet Francisco Domagoso popularly known as Yorme or Isko Moreno; Manila mayoral candidate Samuel (Sam or SV) Versoza Jr.; and Caloocan mayoral bet Dale Gonzalo Rigor Malapitan.

The others are Julian Edward Emerson Coseteng, who is running as a member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (3rd District, Quezon City); Baybay City, Leyte mayoral bet Marilou Baligod; lawyer Levito Baligod, who is running for member of the House of Representatives (5th District Baybay City, Leyte); Anna Kathrina Marcelo Hernandez, who is running for member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (4th District, Bulacan); Jerry Jose, who is running for member of the Sangguniang Bayan in Villaverde, Nueva Vizcaya; and Richard Kho, who is vying the position of governor of Masbate.

Domagoso was asked to explain his alleged handing out of P3,000 to public school teachers while Versoza has been accused of distributing goods with the initials “SV.”

The Comelec task force asked Malapitan to explain his alleged giving out of P3,225 while Coseteng was accused of offering GCash prizes worth P500.

Meanwhile, the Baligods were directed to answer their alleged involvement in the conduct of a raffle with prizes bearing their names and faces.

The Commission ordered Jose and Hernandez w to explain the distribution of hogs and the giving away of dish racks, electric fans, rice, and shirts, respectively.

Kho was asked to answer a possible election violation involving the use of emergency alerts to broadcast the names of candidates.

The nine candidates were given three days from receipt of the SCO to explain why a complaint for election offense or a petition for disqualification should not be filed against them.