TWENTY applicants of transfer of voter’s registration before the Election Registration Board of Garcia-Hernandez are now facing criminal charges before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of the Province of Bohol.
Two native-born citizens of Garcia-Hernandez, Bohol, filed a complaint before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of Bohol, charging 20 non-residents of Garcia-Hernandez, Bohol. The respondents in the case applied for transfer of voter’s registration and falsified their period and fact of residency in Garcia-Hernandez before the town’s Election Registration Board.
Accordingly, there was a sudden exodus of registrants coming from the different parts of Bohol in Garcia-Hernandez. Upon discovery that the Election Registration Board of Garcia-Hernandez, Bohol, approved the application of these transfer registrants, the complainant filed falsification of public documents and perjury against the twenty transfer applicants.
Accordingly, the transfer registrants are not actual residents of Garcia-Hernandez nor maintain a place of abode in Garcia-Hernandez. It was learned that the applicants applied for transfer of registration to Garcia-Hernandez on June 12, 2021.
Town residents wondered why non-familiar faces and non-residents of Garcia-Hernandez came in batch to apply for transfer of registration that day. One of the complainant further commented that these respondents were confident to transfer to Garcia-Hernandez because the top management of their company encouraged them to do so. They were assured, accordingly that they will be defended by lawyers in case of legal repercussions.
Even though these applicants were not maintaining any place of abode in Garcia-Hernandez, worth noting is that they commonly came from one company, a real estate company MEMM88 which is allegedly connected to mayoralty candidate JADE ACAPULCO BAUTISTA.
Complainants filed the complaint because these 20 strangers have no business and interest in the political events of Garcia-Hernandez. These respondents could interfere with the political landscape of Garcia-Hernandez leaving them untouched while the native residents will be directly affected by the political outcomes in the coming elections.
If found guilty, the imposable penalty will be imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years and shall not be subject to probation. (PR)
