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Vote
buying even in this predominantly religious province has reached
to an alarming proportion which confirms observations from
non-Boholanos that election here is getting very expensive.
A
highly placed source told the Chronicle that some mayoralty
bets are ready to shell out P2,000 per voter in order to ensure
their victory in the May 14 polls. The funding mostly come
from the wealthy candidates themselves while others are enjoying
the financial support of their benefactors who have their
own personal interests in the municipalities where they reside.
The
Chronicle listed at least 14, out 47 towns where vote buying
will become the "call for the day." In fact, a neighboring
town of Tagbilaran is reportedly getting the budget of no
less than P50 million to ensure the victory of a mayoralty
bet.
During
a random interview with their leaders, it was gathered that
some mayoralty bets have considered election day over as they
have computed their expenditures for vote buying.
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The
towns identified where money for vote buying is expected
to literally overflow are Panglao, Dauis, Calape, and
Tubigon for the first district, Inabanga, Bien Unido,
Trinidad and Ubay for the second district and Loay,
Guindulman, Carmen, Batuan and Loboc for the third district.
The
congressional race in the third district is also considered
"financially bloody" with last termer Rep.
Eladio Jala reportedly spending his last cent to ensure
the victory of his son, Adam who is running for the
lone vacant congressional seat.
Congressional
bet Alexander Lim who is running for the second time
is rumored to be getting the financial backing of Mark
Jimenez even as the Lim resources are reportedly full
to fuel his campaign punctuated with his heavy postering
even in the remote barangays.
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BM
Dionisio Balite, also running for the second time has the
resources of the Bohol Institute of Technology backing up
the campaign machineries while former Gov. Rene Relampagos
who is leading in the survey is likewise prepared with his
campaign kitty for this congressional derby.
Reports
said that a congressional bet in the 3rd district has his
cash kept safe at his residences in Manila and in the city
over the years to avoid being detected on his bank accounts.
Reports
on vote buying have alarmed even church leaders who are out
to intensify their education campaign for voters not to be
lured with few hundreds or a thousand pesos on election day.
The
"financially bloody" mayoralty race are the ones
in Panglao between re-electionist Doloreich Dumaluan and former
mayor Benedicto Alcala; in Dauis, between Mayor Lulu Bongalos
and Vic Migrino; in Calape, between incumbent Mayor Ernest
Herrera and Simplicio Yu, all in the first district.
In
the second district, massive vote buying is expected in Loay,
between Mae Imboy and Bong Bullecer; Carmen, between June
Budiongan and Boy Molina; Batuan, between Goring Pepito and
Baby Dumagan; Guindulman, between Fe Piezas and Reynante Granada;
and Loboc between Leon Calipusan and Fred Sarigumba.
In
the third district, the towns of Bien Unido, between re-electionist
Mayor Marianita Garcia and Niño Boniel; Inabanga, between
Juno Jumamoy and Maximo Garcia; Ubay, between IC Besas and
incumbent Mayor Eutiquio Bernales; Trinidad, between Judith
Cajes and re-electionist Osias Flor.
Tagbilaran
City which has 39,374 registered voters is likewise included
in the areas where massive vote buying is expected between
incumbent Mayor Dan Lim and former Mayor Joe Torralba.
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