Pangasinan congressional aspirant Gilbert Estrella firmly denied accusations of vote-buying, asserting his readiness to cooperate with any official investigation.
In a statement released Saturday, Estrella said his office is open to any probe by relevant authorities regarding the claims. “We have nothing to hide. We are not engaged in any wrongdoing or illegal activity,” he said in Filipino.
His remarks follow a formal appeal from 6th District Representative Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, who urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to look into widespread vote-buying in Rosales, Balungao, and Asingan—allegedly involving Estrella’s supporters and operatives offering P3,000 per voter.
Primicias-Agabas also noted that while many complainants came forward, they were hesitant to file affidavits due to alleged harassment and intimidation.
Estrella countered by saying he refuses to engage in mudslinging and prefers to run a clean campaign focused on presenting his platform. He added that as a younger candidate, he aims to set a respectful example—one he believes should have been modeled by veteran politicians.
Comelec confirmed receiving Primicias-Agabas’ letter and said the matter has been forwarded to the Committee on Kontra Bigay, which investigates vote-buying and abuse of state resources. As of April 28, Comelec has issued 213 show-cause orders to candidates, 130 of which involve vote-buying or vote-selling allegations.