By Ferdinand Patinio | Philippine News Agency
Nine more candidates in the upcoming 2025 midterm elections, including three running for mayor in Metro Manila, have been issued show cause orders (SCO) by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) over alleged infractions.
In a statement on Thursday, Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said Task Force Kontra Bigay directed the nine candidates to explain following accusations of vote-buying and use of government resources during their respective campaign activities.
The nine candidates are:
- Manila mayoral bet Francisco Domagoso;
• Manila mayoral bet Samuel Versoza Jr.;
• Caloocan mayoral bet Dale Gonzalo Rigor Malapitan;
• Julian Edward Emerson Coseteng, who is running as a member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (3rd District, Quezon City);
• Baybay City, Leyte mayoral bet Marilou Baligod;
• Levito Baligod, who is running for member of the House of Representatives (5th District Baybay City, Leyte);
• Anna Kathrina Marcelo Hernandez, who is running for member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (4th District, Bulacan);
• Jerry Jose, who is running for member of the Sangguniang Bayan in Villaverde, Nueva Vizcaya; and
• Richard Kho, who is running for governor of Masbate.
Domagoso, more popularly known as Isko Moreno, was asked to explain his alleged handing out of P3,000 to public school teachers while Versoza has been accused of distributing goods with the initials “SV”.
As for Malapitan, the Comelec task force ordered him to explain his alleged giving out of P3,225 while Coseteng was accused of offering e-wallet prizes worth P500.
The Baligods, meanwhile, were given SCOs for their alleged involvement in the conduct of a raffle with prizes bearing their names and faces.
Jose and Hernandez have been ordered to explain the distribution of hogs and the giving away of dish racks, electric fans, rice, and shirts, respectively.
Lastly, Kho was asked to answer a possible election violation involving the use of emergency alerts to broadcast the names of candidates.
The nine candidates were given a non-extendible period of three days from receipt of the SCO to give their explanation why a complaint for election offense or a petition for disqualification should not be filed against them.
The poll body warned that failure to comply with the SCOs would be considered a waiver of their right to be heard.
