Comelec orders ex-chair Sheriff Abas to explain alleged vote-buying

COMELEC. File photo shows then-Comelec chairperson Sheriff Abas in 2018.

The poll body acts after photos allegedly showing Abas’ sample ballots clipped with cash circulate on Facebook

COTABATO CITY — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Saturday, September 12, issued a show-cause order against its former chairperson Sheriff Abas over his alleged involvement in a vote-buying incident.

Abas is running for district representative in the first district of Cotabato City in the inaugural elections for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliament. The first regular parliamentary elections in the BARMM are scheduled for Monday, September 14.

The poll body took action after photos of Abas’ sample ballots clipped with cash circulated on Facebook. Comelec then gave the former official 24 hours to submit an explanation.

Abas strongly denied the allegations in a social media post, saying the reports were part of a smear campaign.

“Fake news and character assassination have no place in elections,” Abas said.

He added that any formal complaints should go through due process and be filed directly with Comelec rather than spread across the internet.

“Check the source. Verify the information. Do not spread unconfirmed news. In elections, let truth and respect prevail,” the former Comelec chairman stressed.

Abas served as a Comelec commissioner from 2015 before becoming chairman in 2017, a post he held until 2022. – Rappler.com