A local anti-corruption organization filed Tuesday a complaint against three candidates in Quezon City’s (QC) fourth district, namely former congressman Bong Suntay and aspirants for councilor Migs Suntay and Kiko del Mundo, over their alleged “networking-style” vote-buying scheme for Eleksyon 2025.
The Quezon City Against Corruption (QCAC), led by its chairperson Janno Orante, filed the vote-buying complaint with the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
“Dito sa District 4 sa Quezon City, parang networking ang pagbili ng boto. Nakakalungkot lang kasi first time ito sa QC na ganito kalandtad, ganito kabarubal bumili ng boto,” said Orante in a media briefing.
(Vote-buying here in QC 4th District is similar to networking. We’re saddened because this is the first time that it is being done so openly and brazenly.)
“Kami sa QCAC ay nalulungkot at hindi kami papayag na yurakan ang taga-lungsod Quezon. Tatanggalan mo ng karapatan ang isang tao na bumoto para sundin lang kung sino ang gusto mo manalo. Parang napaka-unfair naman po,” said Orante.
(We’re saddened and we won’t let them disrespect QC residents. If implemented, this will result in someone losing their right to vote just to follow someone else’s whim. It seems very unfair.)
Under the supposed vote-buying scheme, the QCAC said an individual will be recruited as a leader and will be tasked to recruit eight other voters. The leader will be paid with P1,000 if the persons he recruited will be able to lure in eight other people.
Orante said a witness who allegedly admitted to selling his vote and recruiting other individuals in the scheme expressed willingess to testify against the QC bets. He also said they submitted pieces of evidence including a recruitment form and a photo of an alleged invite for the “patawag” or the recruitment of the leaders.
According to the witness, she admitted to vote-selling after realizing the scheme was wrong. She recalled being recruited by Suntay’s staff in October 2024 and was informed of the orientation through a text message.
“Hindi ko na masikmura ang kalakaran ng politika. Dapat kung boboto tayo, hindi kailangan bilhin ang boto natin (I can no longer take this practice in politics. If we are going to vote, our votes need not be bought),” the witness said.
GMA News Online has requested comments from Bong and Migs Suntay, and Kiko del Mundo regarding the matter.
Meanwhile, the QCAC said they will secure the safety of the witness amid threats.
“We hope the Comelec listens and take action immediately,” said QCAC Chairperson Jesus Falcis III. “Mahirap ‘pag walang gagawin ang Comelec. Tuloy-tuloy ang vote-buying (Vote-buying will continue if the Comelec will not take action).”
“Absolutely no truth. Janno Orate and Jesus Falcis are both socmed (social media) people of Rillo,” Bong Suntay said to GMA News Online.
“Go to their Facebook pages they are used by Rillo to attack me. The alleged witness (Angel) is Kevin Roissing, even his own siblings are ashamed of what he did,” he added.
Last February, the Comelec said it would impose stricter measures to curb vote-buying, vote-selling and prevent the ASR for the May elections as it relaunched the committee mandated to address vote-buying and vote-selling. It also partnered with e-wallet applications such as GCash and Paymaya to address vote-buying via digital transactions. — VDV/RF, GMA Integrated News
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