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Tinian Democrat officials accused of political coercion
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Posted on Nov 05 1999
The Tinian Republican Party yesterday accused Democrat Mayor Francisco Borja of coercing the municipal employees into voting for Democrats, particularly incumbent Sen. David Cing who is being challenged by Republican Jose Ada Hocog.
Elias M. Borja, president of Tinian Republican Party, has filed a complaint with the Office of the Public Auditor, Board of Elections and the Attorney General’s office, asking that the Tinian Mayor’s Office be refrained from “coercing and intimidating government employees to vote under the threat or fear of [losing] their employment.”
Elias Borja alleged that Mayor Borja, a staunch supporter of Cing, held a meeting at his residence last Wednesday “at the pretext of commemorating the mayor’s second year in office.”
At that meeting, Elias Borja said, government employees were “emphatically instructed” by the Democrats to attend the their campaign rally to be held on election at the Palacios Camp, which is owned by Cing.
Elias Borja said employees of the mayor’s office were told that they would be “subject to roll call” and that “those who fail to answer or not present will be terminated from their employment.”
“Moreover, reliable sources also disclosed that employees have equally been instructed to mark their ballots in plain view…of the poll workers and/or vote in the booth but must show the marked ballot to other Democrats to ensure that they voted [for] Democrats,” Elias Borja said.
The Tribune could not reach Mayor Borja nor Cing at press time.
