THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) confirmed Thursday that show-cause orders have been issued to Manila mayoral candidates Isko Moreno and Samuel Versoza, along with several other local candidates, over alleged vote-buying incidents.
The Comelec Kontra Bigay task force also named the following individuals in the list of recipients of the show cause orders:
- Jerry Jose
- Richard Kho
- Levito Baligod
- Marilou Baligod
- Julian Edward Emerson Coseteng
- Anna Katrina Hernandez
- Dale Gonzalo Rigor Malapitan
Moreno said he had yet to receive a copy of the order.
Malapitan, currently mayor of Caloocan City, responded to the allegations by clarifying that the Commission might be referring to his administration’s “Agapay sa Manggagawa” program, which distributed P3,225 to beneficiaries at Galino Court, Caloocan.
In a statement, Malapitan said the program is a regular initiative of the local government aimed at supporting unemployed and underemployed residents and had secured approval from Comelec.
“I want to clarify that the said activity is part of our regular ‘Agapay sa Manggagawa’ program of the Caloocan City Government and was approved by the Commission on Elections,” Malapitan said.
He added that the program was granted a Comelec exemption on February 7, 2025, and has been in place since 2022.
Earlier this week, the poll body also issued show cause orders to senatorial aspirant Camille Villar and other candidates in connection with similar allegations of vote buying.