Even as allegations of Liberal Party (LP) vote-buying continued to heat up, United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) said LP stalwart and Quezon City Third District Rep. Jorge “Bolet” Banal, had nothing to do with the alleged massive vote-buying, reports Manila Times. UNA secretary-general and campaign manager, Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco had admitted in a television interview that Maite Defensor, the daughter of Mat Defensor and opponent of Banal, had approached him the week before and presented him the vouchers being distributed in the different barangays of Quezon City’s third district as alleged proof of nationwide vote-buying. Jess Lorenzo of Kaya Natin also dispelled the supposed massive vote-buying by candidates of LP. “How can this be nationwide when the distribution of vouchers were done in the district of Cong as part of Banal’s continuing educational and wellness programmes?” he asked.
“In fairness to Rep. Banal, it appears that it has been his long-running project to distribute school supplies. And these vouchers were distributed before the local campaign period began, so there is no vote-buying on his part,” Tiangco said. Joining Tiangco in dismissing the vote-buying claims against him, Banal said “I highly appreciate Rep. Tiangco’s statesman-like approach to the situation.”