Vote Buying Allegations Rock Elections in Nabunturan, Davao de Oro
Candidate under scrutiny, investigators probing
Just when the anticipation for the upcoming May 12, 2025, National and Local Elections (NLE) in Nabunturan, Davao de Oro, is at its peak, an investigation has been launched against a potential vice mayor candidate from the GIPAILAWOM party. The controversy surrounds claims of vote buying, a persistent issue plaguing Philippine elections.
On Tuesday, May 6, 2025, authorities apprehended a 22-wheeler truck loaded with bags of rice, believed to be destined for vote-buying purposes, outside the house of the incumbent barangay captain of Purok 6, Barangay Manat.
Unraveling the Vote-Buying Scandal
During a Davao Peace and Security Press Corps media briefing held on Wednesday, Police Major Catherine Dela Rey confirmed the seizure of the truck filled with rice and their pursuit of those responsible for the distribution to personal recipients.
Secret witnesses have alleged that the personal secretary of the barangay captain and certain members of the Barangay Police or Civilian Volunteer Organization (CVO) were involved in the distribution of the rice, which was confiscated by authorities.
Evidence emerges thick and fast. According to Dela Rey, officials have certified the truck as carrying 2,500 bags of rice, half of which were handed over to suspects by police while the remaining 1,500 bags remain as evidence. The truck driver was arrested, and the truck and rice were handed over to the Nabunturan Municipal Police Station (MPS) for further investigation.
Is Vote Buying Legal?
Further investigation will examine whether the rice distribution was politically motivated and connected to the candidate's campaign. While the practice of offering food packs or financial assistance might seem harmless on the surface, it violates certain sections of the Comelec Resolution No. 11104, which discourages the use of public or private resources during elections to secure an electoral advantage.
The resolution outlaws "vote buying," defined as any act of giving, offering, or promising money or anything of value as inducement to vote for a particular candidate or party. If proven, such actions can lead to "disqualification" of the candidate, criminal charges, imprisonment, and fines, as per the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines.
The dramatic turn of events is placing the GIPAILAWOM candidate under scrutiny as authorities and civic organizations work together to root out vote-buying practices that undermine democratic processes.
Stay tuned as we continue to follow this developing story and explore its impact on the upcoming elections.
- The vote-buying scandal in Nabunturan, Davao de Oro, is associated with the GIPAILAWOM party and their vice mayor candidate, following allegations made during the 2025 National and Local Elections.
- The controversy is centered around a 22-wheeler truck filled with rice, seized outside the house of the incumbent barangay captain, suspected to be involved in the distribution of the rice for vote-buying purposes.
- The Historical Blotter covers the unraveling of the scandal, implicating the personal secretary of the barangay captain and certain members of the Barangay Police or Civilian Volunteer Organization (CVO), and questioning whether the rice distribution was politically motivated and connected to the candidate's campaign.
