Saturday, May 8, 2010

‘Vote Buyers’ Nabbed by Army Troops in Catanduanes

CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, CamSur – Army soldiers based in Catanduanes arrested three alleged “vote buyers” who were caught distributing envelopes containing cash amounts during a security patrol yesterday, a military official said.

Major Harold M Cabunoc, Division Spokesperson, said that the 9-man squad patrol from the 83rd Infantry Battalion arrested the three suspects while in the act of handing over brown envelopes containing cash to some local residents in Bgy Quezon, Viga, Catanduanes at around 5pm on May 6, 2010.

1st Lieutenant Darryl Mariano, the Company Commander of the arresting officers, identified the suspects as a certain Gretchen Liton, 24, Leslie Liton, 23, and Edgar Tanel, 40.

Mariano said that the three suspects admitted to be working for vice-gubernatorial candidate Jose Teves. He also said that the recovered brown envelopes bear the names of Teves and his political ally identified as a certain Gomercindo Lintong, a candidate for Sangguniang Bayan in Viga town.

“At least 792 brown envelopes containing P150.00 or a total of P109,350.00. The suspects and the recovered items were turned-over to Viga Municipal Police Station for proper disposition,” said Mariano.

The Philippine Army soldiers are regularly sent on security patrols in designated areas around Catanduanes as part of their election duties.

The ‘area security patrols’ are intended to prevent election-related
violent incidents and to ensure the conduct of honest, orderly and credible elections.

No comments:

Post a Comment