The Commission on Elections (Comelec) disqualified eight barangay officials in Negros Occidental’s Calatrava town for alleged vote buying during the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) in 2023.

The disqualified barangay officials were Punong Barangay Arnulfo Siblag Libodlibod, and kagawads Eddy Gustaman Monterde, Joel Cabiles Rosello, Hernane Montaño Cabugwas, Jeremias Caballero Diotay, Elmor Taghoy Marcelo, Richard Garcia Diotay and Prescila Marcelo Patajo, all from Barangay Marcelo, according to a post by the Comelec’s Second Division.

Ian Lee Ananoria, Comelec-Negros Occidental election officer, said the decision is different from their pending case against the officials for an election offense which is being investigated.

“This case decided by the division was purely disqualification. There is still an election offense that I am investigating,” Ananoria said.

The case filed against the barangay officials has been supported by documents on vote buying.

Ananoria said the officials can file a motion for reconsideration and bailable.

He said the poll body’s decision is a stern warning to candidates in the upcoming midterm elections in May, emphasizing that they have been serious in its campaign against vote buying.

Ananoria said decisions on more vote buying cases involving candidates in the October 30, 2023 BSKE in the province are expected to be released soon.

He called on voters to immediately report aspirants in the midterm elections who are engaged in vote buying, whether done through money or through certain favors in exchange for votes.

Under the Omnibus Election Code, any person found guilty of vote buying shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years and shall not be subject to probation.

The involved individuals shall be disqualified from holding public office and deprived of the right of suffrage.

Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Negros Occidental said the town mayor has the authority to choose replacements for the disqualified officials upon the issuance of Comelec’s final decision.

“It should supposedly be recommended by the Sangguniang Barangay to be appointed by the municipal mayor,” DILG provincial Director Teodora Sumagaysay said.

“Not necessarily losing candidates [will be appointed]. It should be anybody in the barangay,” she added.

For now, the said officials have remained in office, following an appeal to the Comelec decision, the DILG said.

Motion for reconsideration 

In a radio interview, Richard Diotay said they filed a motion for reconsideration to challenge the decision of the Comelec.

Diotay said they are now awaiting a final decision from the poll body upon submitting their motion last December 26, 2024.

He claimed that the Calatrava Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office and the local government unit initiated the distribution of cash assistance and relief goods to 20 families affected by a fire incident, and not them.

At the time of the aid distribution, he said they did not offer any surplus of such to unaffected residents to sway voters.

Furthermore, he strongly refuted the claims of vote buying, emphasizing that they lacked the financial resources for such activities.

He argued that political motivations drove the petition filed by losing barangay chairman candidate Maximo Rezaga, Jr./WDJ