FACT CHECK: Dasmariñas LGU’s P50-M donation not a bribe, Comelec says

Comelec clarified that the P50 million donation from the Dasmariñas City government is intended to provide additional funds for the conduct of the special election for Cavite's 4th District representative Claim: Acting Dasmariñas City Mayor Elpidio “Thirdy” Barzaga gave the Commission on Elections (Comelec) P50 million, as his mother is among the candidates in the special elections for the vacant Cavite 4th District seat in the House of Representatives. Rating: MISSING CONTEXT Why we fact-checked this: The claim was posted on July 25 by the Facebook page “Calabarzon Connect,” which has a following of more than 454,000. As of writing, the post has garnered more than 1,700 reactions, 300 comments, and 100 shares. The post reads, “Kinuwestiyon ang pag-abot ni Acting Mayor Thirdy Barzaga ng P50M sa Comelec gamit ang pondo ng lungsod habang kandidato ang kaniyang inang si Mayor Jenny Barzaga.” (Acting Mayor Thirdy Barzaga has been questioned for giving Comelec P50 million using the city’s funds while his mother, Mayor Jenny Barzaga, is among the candidates for the special elections.) The graphic attached to the post dubbed the move as “legal bribery in broad daylight.” Social media users criticized Barzaga for alleged corruption, comparing it to the “maleta” controversy. Other comments revolved around the accusation that the move guarantees the mother’s win. The facts: The post failed to mention that the money was the Dasmariñas local government’s donation for the polls. Comelec clarified in a post on July 30 that the donated P50 million is for additional funds for the conduct of orderly and successful special elections for Cavite’s 4th District representative. “Ang pondong ito ay hindi isang uri ng suhol para impluwensiyahan ang Comelec at baluktutin ang magiging resulta ng special elections sa Dasmariñas, Cavite. Hindi kailanman legal ang akto ng panunuhol. Ang tahasang akusasyon na ito sa Comelec na walang sapat na batayan at hindi suportado ng ebidensiya ay isang pangunahing kakanyahan ng disinformation,” the poll body said. (This fund is not a form of bribery to influence the Comelec and distort the outcome of the special elections in Dasmariñas, Cavite. Bribery is never legal. This blatant accusation against the Comelec that is without sufficient basis and is not supported by evidence is a basic essence of disinformation.) Earlier, Comelec said it will need P191 million to conduct the elections. Poll body chairperson George Erwin Garcia said the funds would be used for the honoraria of teachers serving as electoral board members, according to an Inquirer.net report. Dasmariñas special polls: The special election, scheduled for August 29, aims to fill the vacant 4th District representative spot in Cavite after the House of Representatives expelled Kiko Barzaga on June 2. One of the five candidates for the position is incumbent Dasmariñas City Mayor Jennifer Austria Barzaga, the mother of Kiko and Thirdy. The latter is serving as the city’s acting mayor amid his mother’s congressional bid. Aside from Jennifer Barzaga, four other aspirants filed their certificates of candidacy: Former Vice Mayor Raul Rex Del Rosario Marvin Opamin Dupal-ag Leysander Aguilar Jacinto Bautista Frani Jr. There are 437,730 registered voters in the fourth legislative district of Cavite expected to cast their ballots. – Lourence Angelo Marcellana/Rappler.com Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time. How does this make you feel? Loading