Radaza accuses village chief of politicizing VIS distribution

Local

FORMER Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza has filed a complaint before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) against barangay captain, whom he accused of politicizing the distribution of the Voters Information Sheet (VIS).

Radaza, who is seeking a return to City Hall under former president Rodrigo Duterte's Partido Demokratriko Pilipino party, submitted her complaint on April 10.

The complaint was prompted by a video circulating online, which Radaza said shows Barangay Captain Audi Flores of Barangay Tingo, Olango Island, “categorically” confirming their role in distributing the VIS.

“In fact, he categorically said therein among others that they are going to get the VIS of 'their' people so that those that will be left will be those of the other camp. Hon. Flores confirmed therein their involvement in the distribution of VIS,” Radaza stated in the complaint.

VIS is part of Comelec’s latest voter information campaign. It contains personal voter data, precinct numbers, voting instructions, and a sample ballot.

Radaza warned that allowing barangay officials to handle the VIS could compromise the program’s impartiality.

Radaza argued that barangay officials, following Comelec's recent pronouncement, are now considered partisan and allegedly permitted to engage in political activities.

She warned that allowing them to participate in the distribution of the VIS would politicize the commission’s new information dissemination program.

Worse, she said, it would betray Comelec’s mandate for fair elections by turning the VIS into a state-sponsored campaign tool favoring the administration’s slate at the expense of other candidates.

She added that the video “clearly exposes their offenses and the vulnerability of the VIS to their exploitation and abuse.”(MyTVCebu)