Vote buying even in this predominantly religious province has reached to an alarming proportion which confirms observations from non-Boholanos that election here is getting very expensive.
A highly placed source told the Chronicle that some mayoralty bets are ready to shell out P2,000 per voter in order to ensure their victory in the May 14 polls. The funding mostly come from the wealthy candidates themselves while others are enjoying the financial support of their benefactors who have their own personal interests in the municipalities where they reside.
The Chronicle listed at least 14, out 47 towns where vote buying will become the "call for the day." In fact, a neighboring town of Tagbilaran is reportedly getting the budget of no less than P50 million to ensure the victory of a mayoralty bet.
During a random interview with their leaders, it was gathered that some mayoralty bets have considered election day over as they have computed their expenditures for vote buying.
The towns identified where money for vote buying is expected to literally overflow are Panglao, Dauis, Calape, and Tubigon for the first district, Inabanga, Bien Unido, Trinidad and Ubay for the second district and Loay, Guindulman, Carmen, Batuan and Loboc for the third district.
The congressional race in the third district is also considered "financially bloody" with last termer Rep. Eladio Jala reportedly spending his last cent to ensure the victory of his son, Adam who is running for the lone vacant congressional seat.
Congressional bet Alexander Lim who is running for the second time is rumored to be getting the financial backing of Mark Jimenez even as the Lim resources are reportedly full to fuel his campaign punctuated with his heavy postering even in the remote barangays.
BM Dionisio Balite, also running for the second time has the resources of the Bohol Institute of Technology backing up the campaign machineries while former Gov. Rene Relampagos who is leading in the survey is likewise prepared with his campaign kitty for this congressional derby.
Reports said that a congressional bet in the 3rd district has his cash kept safe at his residences in Manila and in the city over the years to avoid being detected on his bank accounts.
Reports on vote buying have alarmed even church leaders who are out to intensify their education campaign for voters not to be lured with few hundreds or a thousand pesos on election day.
The "financially bloody" mayoralty race are the ones in Panglao between re-electionist Doloreich Dumaluan and former mayor Benedicto Alcala; in Dauis, between Mayor Lulu Bongalos and Vic Migrino; in Calape, between incumbent Mayor Ernest Herrera and Simplicio Yu, all in the first district.
In the second district, massive vote buying is expected in Loay, between Mae Imboy and Bong Bullecer; Carmen, between June Budiongan and Boy Molina; Batuan, between Goring Pepito and Baby Dumagan; Guindulman, between Fe Piezas and Reynante Granada; and Loboc between Leon Calipusan and Fred Sarigumba.
In the third district, the towns of Bien Unido, between re-electionist Mayor Marianita Garcia and Niño Boniel; Inabanga, between Juno Jumamoy and Maximo Garcia; Ubay, between IC Besas and incumbent Mayor Eutiquio Bernales; Trinidad, between Judith Cajes and re-electionist Osias Flor.
Tagbilaran City which has 39,374 registered voters is likewise included in the areas where massive vote buying is expected between incumbent Mayor Dan Lim and former Mayor Joe Torralba.
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Published in the Bohol Chronicle -4/29/2007
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