BONTOC, Mountain Province – Concerned residents in various parts of the province raised alarm on a group of lawyers aligned with an incumbent official who are now going around the identified strongholds of certain aspirants for the different elected local positions and informing some of the electorate that if they will be handed money and receive the same but do not vote for their candidate, they will be charged for an election offense.
Sources, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal from the political camp, reported that this camp now realize that many voters in the province now demand for change after more than a decade of the same people being elected to some of the highest positions.
The sources claimed that this group of lawyers is the ones who had been doing the reported dirty tactics to ensure the election of their benefactors in the past.
Further, the sources disclosed that their current benefactor is now facing a serious challenge from a political figure in the province in the upcoming May 9, 2022 synchronized national and local elections thus the camp is now desperately threatening and harassing a good number of electorate in support of their benefactor and probably ensure the candidate’s victory.
The sources claim they have to reveal this observation to inform and educate the province to be firm in their commitment for the realization of genuine change that will help in elevating the state of the province to a higher level with a balance in the implementation of human, physical and digital infrastructure.
According to them, voters are fully aware of the issues affecting the province and a good number of them have already made a decision to embrace the desired change but they are being pressured, threatened and harassed to support the interest of a few influential individuals but they want to inform voters there is no legal basis for their claims of retaliatory action if they accept money from candidates but will not vote for those candidates.
The sources urged the electorate to guard their votes to ensure these will be counted in favor of whom they voted.
Obviously, the sources added that the province’s voters are now well informed and understand the prevailing political landscape but what is important is for them to be able to protect their votes and not to be simply harassed by some interest groups who simply want to hold on to power just to maintain their power and the benefits that come with it.
The sources emphasized that the alleged questionable activities of this group of lawyers is now tainting a bad image of the political atmosphere in the province unlike in the past where the conduct of the election is generally peaceful and orderly that allowed Mountain Province to earn the title of being one of the provinces with the peaceful and orderly polls.