Comelec may probe ex-QC solon’s alleged TUPAD misuse

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has confirmed its Committee on Kontra Bigay (CKB) may investigate former Quezon City Representative Vincent Crisologo over the alleged misuse of P119 million in Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Ating Displaced Workers (TUPAD) funds during his 2019 term.

The investigation follows a complaint filed by the Quezon City Volunteer for Anti-Corruption (QCAC), which urged the Office of the Ombudsman to probe former solon’s alleged admission in a televised interview that he entrusted the distribution of the funds to an assistant, who allegedly misappropriated the money.

This also comes as Comelec chairperson George Garcia clarified last Saturday that election offenses have a five-year prescriptive period, allowing for potential legal action despite the 2019 timeline.

In an October 2023 interview, Crisologo, who is seeking to return to Congress in Quezon City’s 1st District, admitted delegating the distribution of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) aid to his assistant.

QCAC chairperson Janno Orate argued that Crisologo’s statement suggests negligence or possible conspiracy in the alleged misuse of TUPAD funds.

Meantime, QCAC legal counsel Jesus Falcis warned that Crisologo could face plunder charges if the P119 million was indeed misappropriated as the group also raised suspicions that the funds could have been used for vote-buying, though they acknowledged Crisologo’s claim that his assistant stole the money.

The group stressed that if Crisologo was innocent, he should have filed charges against his assistant, which he did not.

Crisologo, a seasoned politician from a prominent Quezon City political family, has not issued a formal response. His camp previously dismissed the allegations as "politically motivated."