The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group arrested three individuals who claimed to be information technology specialists connected with the Commission on Elections.
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested three individuals who claimed to be information technology specialists connected with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the police unit said on Tuesday.
In a report, the CIDG said the suspects assured two candidates of winning the mayoral and vice mayoral elections in Enrile town, Cagayan province, in exchange for P90 million.
The police unit said the operation stemmed from a complaint by an Enrile municipal mayoral and vice-mayoral candidate.
The suspects approached the candidates in the lead up to the 2025 midterm election season, according to CIDG Director Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III in a press briefing in Camp Crame on Tuesday.
鈥淣ireklamo na sila nitong dalawang complainants natin (Our two complainants filed a complaint) because 2019 and 2022 elections, they had already presented themselves to them but they had not availed the services of these people,鈥� Torre said.
鈥淭he complainant[s], with their political party serving [as] municipal mayor and vice mayor in their locality for [a] period of 27 years, [lost] their bid twice after they refused to accept the offer from their (referring to the suspects) group in winning the local election in exchange [for] giving in with their demands,鈥� the CIDG explained in its report.
The complainants agreed to meet with the three suspects in a mall in Marikina City, where CIDG operatives then arrested the suspects around 4:30 p.m. on Monday.
Boodle money, identification cards, mobile phones, a vehicle, and a brown envelope containing a genuine P1,000 bill were confiscated from the suspects.
READ: CIDG confiscates P97.24-M worth of evidence during Jan 2025 operations
A follow-up operation was conducted in Para帽aque City, where one of the suspects was supposed to remit the amount obtained from the complainant.
However, the transaction tipped off other suspects, and four individuals remain at large, according to the CIDG.
鈥淯pon verifying our records, wala sila (the suspects) sa listahan, whether regular employee or job order employees ng Commission on Elections,鈥� Comelec Commissioner Aimee Ferolino said at the Camp Crame press briefing on Tuesday.
The suspects are facing criminal complaints before the Marikina City Prosecutor鈥檚 Office for robbery with intimidation or violence/robbery extortion in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act and the Omnibus Election Code.
鈥淲e (the CIDG) do hope that others who are victimized by these people will come out and file additional charges against them,鈥� Torre said.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia previously warned election candidates against an 鈥渁dvanced victory鈥� scheme, where they are made to pay a hefty sum to be declared winners.
READ:
听鈥淢ga nagwawalang-hiya lahat yan鈥� [A]ng makina, ang sistema, hindi kayang gayahin, hindi kayang gawan ng paraan鈥� [I]mpossible na madaya sapagkat sasagot namin ang tanong: nabilang ba ang boto ko?鈥�, 听Garcia stressed in a Tuesday press briefin.听
(They just have no shame鈥� The mechanisms, the system, that can鈥檛 be replicated, that can鈥檛 be tinkered with鈥� It鈥檚 impossible to rig because we will answer the question: was my vote counted?)
鈥淪ana there and then pa-aresto natin (referring to individuals offering to rig elections). There and then, i-report natin. Or there and then, makuhanan natin ng pictures, videos or whatever para ma-report natin sa PNP at sa ibang law enforcement authorities,鈥� he said.
(We should鈥檝e had them arrested right there and then. There and then, we should reported them. Or there and then, we should take pictures, videos and whatever so that we can report to the PNP or other law enforcement authorities.)
听