By Glazyl M. Jopson
BACOLOD CITY – A 36-year-old man was arrested at a police checkpoint in Bacong, Negros Oriental on Saturday, just two days before the May 12 midterm elections, after authorities found cash and sample ballots in his possession.
The suspect, identified only as “Romnick” from Barangay Combado, was flagged down by police along Burgos Street in Barangay Lutao for not wearing a helmet while riding his motorcycle.
When asked for his license and vehicle documents, he voluntarily opened his motorcycle’s U-box, revealing white envelopes containing cash and sample ballots.
According to a report from the Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region, officers recovered 48 long white envelopes—39 of which contained PHP900 each, amounting to a total of PHP35,100.
The remaining nine envelopes contained only sample ballots.
Barangay officials witnessed the on-site inventory of the recovered items.
The suspect failed to present any legal documents authorizing the possession of the cash and materials, police said.
He was arrested for violating Commission on Elections Resolution No. 11104, or the “Kontra-Bigay” policy, specifically under Section 26 (A and H), which pertains to presumed vote-buying.
Police Brig. Gen. Arnold Thomas Ibay, PRO-NIR director, said in a statement that the regional force remains committed to ensuring clean and honest elections by strictly enforcing election laws.
