COMELEC disqualifies QC SK chairman candidate for ‘vote buying’

A candidate for Sangguniang Kabataan chairmanship in Quezon City was disqualified by the Commission on Elections over 'vote buying' charges.

In a seven-page resolution issued on 26 October 2023 and signed by COMELEC's Second Division Presiding Commissioner Marlon Casquejo, concurred by Commissioners Rey Bulay and Nelson Celis, noted that SK candidate Judielyn Bartolome Francisco of Barangay San Bartolome was "disqualified" to run for the upcoming BSKE elections as she violated Section 68 (a) of the Omnibus Elections Code for "vote buying".

The case stemmed from a petition filed by Arjay Lacsa on 26 September this year, who claimed that Francisco engaged in vote buying by sponsoring and funding a leadership seminar "cum" team building of some 80 youths of their village at Paradise Adventure Camp in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan held on 16 and 17 September 2023, a few weeks after the filing of candidacies.

Pieces of evidence presented by Lacsa included social media posts of the participants themselves tagging Francisco as their " future SK chairman" and three affidavits of witnesses who claimed that Francisco was even present in that event.

On 5 October, the COMELEC summoned Francisco to explain her side who gave her reply on 9 October saying she did not have the resources to fund the gathering while she also admitted being there as a host for the opening program "in return for a professional fee." She also informed the commission that she also filed perjury charges against Lacsa's witnesses at the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office.

The commission, however, concluded that they "are not convinced" as Francisco's lengthy answer reveals that "they are in the nature of general denials emanating from respondent's self-serving and uncorroborated statements."

The affidavits of Lacsa's witnesses, the commission added, are "rich in details" and the evidence is pointing to Francisco as the host of the team building.

Francisco's involvement is a deliberate and strategic scheme to influence the voters of Barangay San Bartolome to vote for her, the commission's resolution read.