UNA accuses Kaya Natin of buying votes for LP bets

The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) on Thursday urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to look into possible vote-buying by the group Kaya Natin Movement for some senatorial candidates of the Liberal Party-led coalition. In a statement, UNA campaign manager and Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco said the Comelec should look into the "massive distribution" of Mercury Drug and National Bookstore gift cheques worth P500 and P1,000 in Quezon City through the Kaya Natin Movement. He said the group is using the distribution of medical and educational assistance to influence voters. The group is endorsing LP coalition candidates former Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr., former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros, Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III and President Benigno Aquino III's cousin Bam in the 2013 polls. "Seryosong issue ito ng vote buying dahil sa tinataon nila sa panahon ng local campaign at malinaw na may perang involved," said Tiangco. The lawmaker likewise said that the personalities behind Kaya Natin make it "more dubious" because its founders are mostly identified with LP. "Dapat lamang na imbestigahan ito ng Comelec, lalo na kung titingnan nila ang mga taong nasa likod ng Kaya Natin," he said. Some of the prominent members of Kaya Natin are the late Interior Sec. Jesse Robredo, Comelec Commissioner Grace Padaca, and LP stalwarts Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, Gov. Ed Panlilio, and Bam. "The distribution of gift cheques by Kaya Natin only confirms the LP's move to junk other members of Team PNoy and with particular focus on Bam," said UNA. 'Malicious lies' In a phone interview with GMA News Online, Kaya Natin lead convener Harvey Keh denied Tiangco's allegations. "Di ko alam saan niya nakuha yung info na yun. These are very malicious lies and this is clearly untrue and I hope that he would check his facts first before spreading these unfounded rumors," he said. He explained that Mercury Drug GCs are given to indigent patients upon request all throughout the year, but that these are only given to the most needy. The National Bookstore GCs, he said, are given to public high school students in Quezon City. Keh said both programs were only pushed by Kaya Natin but were actually made possible by Quezon City Rep. Jorge "Bolet" Banal and the local government of QC. He added that Kaya Natin has been taking part in the programs since 2010, and that they started giving out the GCs last March 7, 13 days before they came out with their endorsement of candidates. "I challenge him [Tiangco] to show me the GC containing the name of these four Team Pnoy candidates.  If he is able to show a GC containing the four that came from us, I will resign as lead convener. But if he cannot prove his accusation I hope he will have the delicadeza to be accountable for spreading malicious lies and he will resign as UNA cmapaign manager," he said. "I hope that instead of creating lies he just focuses on campaigning for his candidates. Sa halip na tulungan niya kandidato niya, naghahanap na lang siya ng paraan na manira ng iba...let's take the campaign to a higher level," he added. Keh said that they are ready to face any case that may be filed before the Comelec. File a complaint first In an interview with reporters, Comelec chair Sixto Brillantes Jr. said that they will investigate the issue if there is a complaint. "Ano ebidensya nila? Hindi naman kami mag-iimbestiga kung walang formal complaint na ipa-file sa amin. Vote buying is an election offense,"  he said. — with a report from Amita Legaspi/BM, GMA News