Senator Grace Poe on Monday cried foul over allegations of a senatorial aspirant that she is involved in vote-buying activities.
Poe, in an interview, said she will not allow herself to be involved in such illegal activities, noting that she has been an anti-election cheating advocate since 2004.
The senator was reacting to Greco Belgica’s petition asking the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to investigate the alleged vote-buying activities of the Liberal Party (LP) led by presidential candidate Manuel Roxas and by Poe.
Belgica, a supporter of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, claimed that there are videos showing that Roxas and Poe tried to buy votes.
But Poe denied Belgica’s claims.
“I will not destroy my name by being involved in illegal activities such as vote-buying,” she told reporters.
Poe served as a convener of Kontra Daya, a coalition for the reform of the Philippine electoral system to eradicate election fraud.
The senator appealed to Belgica to be careful in his allegations because her reputation is at stake and she will not allow anyone to destroy it through baseless allegations.
Poe maintained that she will neither resort to vote-buying nor allow anyone to do it for her because she does not have money in the first place.
The independent presidential held a motorcade in the province of Cavite together with the senatorial candidate of Partido Galing at Puso and local officials led by Vice Governor Ramon “Jolo” Revilla.
But the Comelec said it will investigate Belgica’s allegations.
Commissioner Rowena Guanzon also yesterday said the Comelec law department will look into Belgica’s accusations to determine probable cause.
Guanzon added that the complaint will be elevated to the en banc if there is probable cause, and thereafter the LP will be asked to submit its counter- affidavit.