BAGUIO CITY – Apayao Provincial Election Supervisor (PES) Atty. Mae Richelle Chaudhary refuted reports of alleged vote-buying in the province and asserted that no formal complaints or directives for investigation have been issued by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).
Speaking at the 3rd Cordillera Regional Joint Security Command Center (RJSCC) Command Conference on March 7 in Baguio City, Atty. Chaudhary stated that neither COMELEC Manila nor its regional office had instructed any probe into vote-buying in Apayao. She stated that the Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor has not received a single formal complaint or report regarding such allegations.
During Apayao’s Provincial Joint Security Control Center (PJSCC) Command Conference on March 4, all seven municipal Kontra Bigay Committees affirmed that no cases of vote-buying or vote-selling had been officially reported in their areas.
Chaudhary also addressed concerns about premature campaigning and clarified that under the automated election system, premature campaigning is not considered an offense. Those who file their Certificates of Candidacy (COC) are not legally recognized as official candidates until the campaign period begins, meaning they cannot be penalized for premature campaigning.
Despite the allegations circulating in various media platforms, Apayao election officials maintain that no official complaints have surfaced, and no basis for an investigation currently exists. By Apayao PIO
