DEFEATED Mandaue City mayoral candidate Nilo “Olin” Seno claims massive vote buying in the city during the May 9, 2022 elections was one of the main reasons for his defeat.

Seno said vote buying started a day before the election on May 8 and lasted until election day.

Seno, with 82,182 votes, lost by more than 20,000 votes to his rival, incumbent Mayor Jonas Cortes, who garnered 102,786 votes.

“What I have gathered is that they (his supporters) have witnessed massive vote buying. There was like no less than 500 pesos per person that even went up to 1,500,” Seno said in an interview with SunStar Cebu.

“I just couldn’t witness it myself because I was advised to stay at home for security reasons. But my people have witnessed that it was massive from May 8 until the last hours of the voting period,” he added.

Asked to comment, Cortes neither confirmed nor denied Seno’s allegations of vote buying.

“I do not want to dwell in the past. I really want to focus on the future. I urged my political rivals to come to the office and let us help one another. After all, they are still part of Mandaue. In my case, I am just simply given the mandate to represent the city,” Cortes said.

“Mandaue is for each and every Mandauehanon, not just for me. I urge them to stop the negative shades and allegations because these would bring us nowhere and achieve nothing,” Cortes added.

For his part, Seno said he will continue to help Mandauehanons despite his failed election bid such as providing them with legal service as a practicing lawyer.

“I am crying for the people of Mandaue, not for myself. I can take care of myself because I am a lawyer. But a lot of people are calling me, and they still believe that I won because in their vote counts, I won the election by match, and they consider me as their mayor,” said Seno.