Kidapawan City—Aspirants for local posts in North Cotabato have advised the electorate to take bribe money but vote according to their conscience.
Siblings Bernardo Piñol, currently Kidapawan City vice mayor and running for the city’s top post, and Efren Piñol, running for a seat in the House of Representatives, have openly asked voters to take money but vote rightly.
On Tuesday, the two Piñols had a pocket rally in Barangay Amas here. They said vote buying has been rampant since the campaign period started.
“Take bribes but vote for candidates according to your choice,” Bernardo said.
Both are brothers of former North Cotabato governor now Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol.
Both Efren and Bernardo said that vote-buying has already started in their respected areas, and lamented that it has become the norm where only moneyed candidates can win elections in the province.
Later in the day, the Piñol siblings met with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, founding chairperson of Hugpong ng Pagbabago in an undisclosed place here.
Mayor Sara was in Kidapawan to campaign for the regional bloc’s senatorial aspirants, especially former Philippine National Police chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa who is a native of neighboring Davao del Sur.
Mayor Sara endorsed the Piñol siblings, including incumbent Board Member Socrates Piñol, who is running for vice governor.
She also told local party aspirants that corrupt politicians have no place in a government under President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Once elected, they will surely recover the funds used in vote buying,” she said of corrupt politicians.
