How a Filipino politician buys votes

P40M spent for a P70K monthly job in 3 years

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

“Elective post is for the rich only,” I told a mayoralty bet as he and his employees scan the names of their voters on the list and count the corresponding P1,000 each of them after they evaluated the authenticity that the names are their supporters.

“The other day, there were six thousand voters here to get their P1000,” he told me at his house that was teeming with voters four days before the May 9 election.

“Grabe, that’s P6 million already!” I quipped.

“But we change our system because policemen were hot on our trail. Our leaders instead come here and get the monies for distribution in the different villages. Everybody knows I give P1,000. My opponent buys votes for P300 to P500”.

Both he and the opponent are successful businessmen.

“I want to beat him; I want to see how deep his financial chest is. Today, I will be going to the bank to withdraw P20 million,” he told me.

My friend cited that the P1000 he gave was not all from his pocket.

“Half of that is from my patron. He used to give P400 counterpart to the P400 that I give to a voter. But I told him my opponent buys vote for P500 each thus he acquiesced to the P500.'

He told me his patron provides only for the 40% of the 60,000 voters.

“60,000 voters bawasan mo ng 20% or 12,000 dahil hinde naman lahat buboto. It would become 48,000 bawasan mo ng 50% that would be 24,000."

24 thousand voters multiplied by P1,000 each equal 24 million pesos, he explained to me like when I was in Grade 6 learning addition, division, and multiplication.

He said he did not follow the 50% rule or 24 thousand voters. He still added other 20% or 12 thousand voters to make sure he got more voters and more chances to win.

“Personal money ko na iyong P1,000 sa 12 thousand voters. That’s another P12 million”.

Son of a gun, why these people spent P40 million for a job that gives only a P100 thousand monthly pay – for a first class town - for three years? I posed to myself.

(NOTE: My seasoned mayoralty bet - a nine-year mayor - friend (the politico I mentioned above) still lost the poll. His underestimated his opponent whom he thought was deficit of a campaign fund. The opponent – a kin - bought votes at P1,500 at each voter. Nangutang at nagsanla ng ari-arian ang kamag-anak na rival)

(You can read my selected columns at http://mortzortigoza.blogspot.com and articles at Pangasinan News Aro. You can send comments too at totomortz@yahoo.com)