By Nimfa L. Estrellado Pagbilao Mayor Angelica Portes Tatlonghari faces a vote-buying complaint now under review by the Commission En Banc a...
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| Pagbilao Mayor Angelica Portes Tatlonghari faces a vote-buying complaint now under review by the Commission En Banc as officials confirm no notice has been served locally. (Alagang Mayor Ate Gigi Portes) |
PAGBILAO, Quezon — Months after a complaint was filed, a vote-buying case involving Pagbilao Mayor Angelica Portes Tatlonghari has reached the Commission En Banc for action. Days before any notice was served, documents tied to the same case began circulating publicly across platforms at the local level.
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) on Tuesday said its Quezon Provincial Office has not received any directive to serve notice in the alleged vote-buying case. No subpoena or official communication reached the provincial office for delivery to the respondent as of Tuesday.
However, related documents circulated publicly ahead of any confirmed service at the local level. These documents include a March 24, 2026 notice and a February 12, 2026 Minute Resolution tied to Election Offense Case No. 25-173 (VB).
The February 12, 2026 Minute Resolution followed months of review after the complaint was evaluated by the COMELEC Law Department. Records show the preliminary investigation began in October 2025 before the matter moved to the Commission En Banc.
The resolution identified the case as involving alleged vote-buying under Section 261(a) of the Omnibus Election Code during the May 2025 elections. The Law Department found sufficient basis to elevate the case to court after reviewing sworn statements and supporting records.
The Commission En Banc, led by Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia and six commissioners, approved the recommendation submitted by the Law Department. The directive instructs the same office to proceed with filing the case before the proper court after completing its review.
If formally filed, the case will proceed through arraignment and pre-trial stages where both parties will present their evidence and witnesses. Courts handle election offense cases as criminal proceedings and determine liability based on the strength of evidence presented.
The complaint alleges that around 600 individuals attended a May 11, 2025 gathering in Barangay Pinagbayanan, Pagbilao linked to campaign activity. They were promised ₱6,000 each and possible monthly allowances if candidates won the election, based on the affidavit.
The same complaint describes the alleged delivery of ₱51,000 in cash for distribution to identified individuals later that evening at the same location. The affidavit outlines the alleged distribution of an additional ₱13,000 the following day in smaller amounts to families in the same area.
But the complainant later withdrew his earlier claims through a sworn statement and alleged he had been influenced by other individuals involved in the case. The Law Department said such withdrawals are treated with caution and do not automatically invalidate earlier testimony in election offense cases.
Mayor Angelica Portes Tatlonghari denied the allegations and challenged the complaint through her counter-affidavit submitted during the investigation. The mayor said no such gathering or money distribution took place and submitted multiple sworn statements to support her account.
Her camp said she was in other locations that night, including the municipal building and nearby establishments within Pagbilao during the time cited. Witness statements and CCTV records supported her timeline of movements during those hours.
However, the Law Department said inconsistencies raised by the defense did not outweigh evidence pointing to alleged distribution of money to influence voters. The Law Department also cited overlaps in accounts from both sides as part of its basis to recommend that the case proceed before the court.
The COMELEC Quezon Provincial Office reiterated that it has not received any official copy of the resolution for service despite the circulation of related documents. Officials said no enforcement action has started at the local level pending formal transmittal of required documents.
COMELEC urged the public to rely on official announcements while the case moves through established legal procedures under election laws. The poll body emphasized that documents not yet formally served or acted upon locally should not be used as basis for conclusions.
Despite expectations that formal notice would follow the issuance of official resolutions, the gap between public circulation and actual service remains unresolved at the provincial level. That gap continues to raise questions on how election cases are disclosed and enforced while proceedings remain ongoing.
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