Comelec: No irregularities in P50 million donation for special poll

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday said there is nothing irregular about the P50 million donated by the Dasmariñas city government for the conduct of a special legislative poll on Aug. 29, wherein one of the candidates is the city mayor. Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the city government’s cash donation to be used in the special election followed due process. “That is a conditional donation of the city government. This passed through the city council and it was not decided by the mayor alone,” Garcia said, noting that a Comelec en banc resolution was issued concerning the acceptance of the donation. “The turnover of the check was made in public. Comelec will determine how the money will be spent and the local government will not have any participation in it,” Garcia pointed out. Based on Comelec Memorandum 260874, the P50 million will be used to cover a portion of the budget allocated for the honorarium of poll workers, estimated to be at P76,754,000, subject to strict compliance with the rules and regulations of the Commission on Audit. The Comelec issued the statement following social media posts that alleged the donation could be tainted with conflict of interest because the city is governed by Mayor Jennifer Barzaga who is running for the congressional post. The lone district was left vacant after the House of Representatives expelled Barzaga’s son, Kiko, for disorderly behavior, conduct unbecoming of a member and violations of the House Code of Conduct. While the mayor is campaigning, her son Elpidio Barzaga III, who is the vice mayor of Dasmariñas, is running the city government.