OUTGOING Sen. Cynthia Villar, a Las Piñas lone district congressional bet, seems to be in trouble after a lawyer of a top rival candidate, veteran Councilor Marck Anthony Santos, has filed a disqualification complaint against her for alleged vote-buying and other violations of the Omnibus Election Code and Commission on Elections Resolution No. 11104.
In an eight-petition filed before the poll body, Santos accused Villar of allegedly orchestrating widespread distribution of cash and ‘ayuda’ (assistance) in exchange of votes.
“It was picturesque indeed. The seasoned politician spoke in a crowd-filled venue. Behind Villar, people que to fill-up forms, submit documents, and receive cash,” said Santos, through his lawyer Zardi Abellera.
Abellera said the presence and participation of the candidate couldn’t be a mere coincidence.
“Villar shook hands with the beneficiaries and made her campaign speech, while the distribution of ayuda was on-going as a backdrop to her campaign.”
Santos disclosed that Villar appeared, participated, and campaigned on April 23 and 24, 2025, during the distribution of ‘ayuda’ to city’s senior citizens-residents where she delivered her campaign speech and promises.
On April 23, 2025, Villar particularly mentioned that she distributed forms on the beneficiaries’ entitlement to Philhealth, clearly an indirect giving of material consideration to influence, induce or corrupt the voters – and in its worse form, through the abuse of state resources, Santos claimed.
The Comelec resolution provides for a presumption that candidates who are incumbent elected officials or their spouses or members of their families have engaged in vote-buying in any of the following instances:
Giving, distributing and receiving any assistance or ayuda, in which the names of the candidates are mentioned, or those conducted in a place where the name or picture of the candidate is visible or displayed, whether given by the candidate or his or her relative within the second degree of affinity or consanguinity, or their known supporters or employees.
Abellera has appealed to the Comelec to disqualify Villar from continuing as a congressional bet in the May 12, 2025 midterm elections.
