3 nabbed for offering ‘poll victory’ to 2 pols in Cagayan for P90-M

By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan

 

ENRILE, Cagayan -- Police apprehended three people posing as information technology or IT specialists in Marikina on Monday for allegedly offering two local candidates of this town guaranteed victory in the May midterm elections in exchange for P90 million.

The three were arrested by the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in an entrapment operation in a fast-food restaurant in Barangay Calumpang.

The suspects told the politicians that they could rig the votes in their favor because they are connected with the Commission on Elections, CIDG director Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III said.

The suspects, identified only through their aliases as Bernard, Donnie and Ronald, posed as employees of an IT company in Parañaque City.

Police have launched a manhunt for four other employees of the IT firm involved in the scam.

The operation against the suspects was conducted based on a complaint by two politicians who are running for mayor and vice mayor in the municipality of Enrile, Cagayan.

The suspects offered their services to the candidates to ensure their victory in the upcoming elections in exchange for P90 million.

“The amount includes the payment to be given to the suspects’ contacts at the Comelec,” Torre said.

In a press conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City, Torre III said the suspects tried to extort P90 million from two candidates in Enrile, Cagayan, in exchange for their victory in the May 12 polls.

Torre said Enrile, Cagayan mayoral candidate Robert Turingan and his daughter, vice mayoral candidate Karen Kaye Tavas Turingan, were forced to seek police assistance as the suspects were the same people who offered their services in the past two elections.

“Nireklamo na sila nitong dalawang complainants natin (These two complainants approached us already) because (in the) 2019 and 2022 elections, they had already presented themselves to them but they had not availed the services of these people,” Torre said.

He said Turingan and his daughter lost in both elections, and the suspects used this as proof to convince the two candidates that they could manipulate election results.

Torre said the suspects allegedly work in a Parañaque City-based IT company that claims to be connected with the Comelec and maintains access to the automated result of the election.

He said four other officials and staff of the company escaped during an entrapment operation in a mall in Marikina City.

A follow-up operation was conducted at the suspects’ office in Parañaque City, but the employees fled before the policemen arrived.

The arrested suspects are now under CIDG custody and are facing criminal charges.

Torre tagged the group as “professional scammers” who use a physical IT solution office to make their scheme more believable.

“They have this kind of influence they are peddling, and that they are able to manipulate the machines, they will be able to manipulate the personnel operating these machines and many other schemes that, of course, are untrue,” Torre said.

In the same press conference, Comelec Commissioner Aimee Ferolino denied the suspects’ connection to the poll body.

“We already have a certification from the personnel department that these persons are not in the list of employees of the Comelec,” Ferolino said.

She assured the integrity of the May 12 midterm elections, noting that the poll results cannot in any way be manipulated.

Ferolino urged the candidates to be cautious against such schemes.

Torre said an investigation is underway to determine whether the group’s operation has reached the Visayas and Mindanao.

In an interview with reporters, the older Turingan said the group approached him during the campaign period in the 2019 midterm elections.

He, however, did not entertain the group as he believed he would win, having served as Enrile town mayor in 1992. He lost his 2019 election bid.

Turingan said the group approached them again in the 2022 elections, bragging that they helped Turingan’s rival win the 2019 elections.

He admitted that he paid the group P5 million but only to stop them from meddling in the political affairs of the municipality.

The suspects were originally asking for P90 million.

Turingan lost again in the 2022 polls.

“Ngayon, lumapit ulit sila sa amin, P90million ulit ang hinihingi, una nagbigay ako ng P500,000 then P2 million pero para lang painan sila para mahuli na sila (Now they came to us again, asking for P90 million again. I initially gave P500,000, then P2 million but it was just to bait and catch them),” he said.

“Ngayon, kahit hindi na ako manalo sa election, panalo pa rin ako kasi naipahuli ko sila (Now even if I don't win the election, I'm still a winner because I had them arrested).”

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil assured that the PNP would remain apolitical and impartial and committed solely to maintaining peace and order.

“The PNP stands firm in its commitment to professionalism, neutrality, and service to the Filipino people," he said in a statement.

Marbil said the PNP leadership does not and would never condone political partisanship within its ranks.

"Our officers have sworn to serve the public, not political interests. Any claim to the contrary is far from the truth,” he added.

He said police personnel found engaging in partisan politics would face serious consequences, “including possible dismissal, in accordance with existing policies and regulations.” -- PNA