Manila mayoral candidate and party-list congressman Sam “SV” Verzosa found himself in an unexpected predicament during a campaign sortie in Moriones, Tondo, when power was suddenly cut mid-speech — allegedly due to a severed electrical cable.
According to a discussion on ‘Ogie Diaz Showbiz Update’, Verzosa was in the middle of addressing a crowd when the sound system abruptly failed. Viewers noted that just as he was emphasizing how temporary aid can never replace the consequences of “a wrong vote,” his wireless microphone lost power.
Supporters at the event quickly responded by turning on their cellphone flashlights to provide light. Verzosa managed to continue with his speech using a megaphone.
“Akala nila, kaya nila tayong pigilan dito,” Verzosa declared.
“Hindi nila alam, kakampi ko lahat ng mga taga-Tondo!” he added, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.
While no official party has been identified as responsible for the power disruption, reports suggest it may have been intentional.
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The incident comes amid increased scrutiny of Verzosa’s campaign. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) recently issued a show-cause order over alleged vote-buying involving goods marked with his initials, “SV.” Verzosa firmly denied the accusation, stressing that his charitable work predates his mayoral run and was part of his long-running TV program ‘Dear SV’.
“I have been helping for the past 10 years,” Verzosa said, adding that he halted all aid distribution after the campaign period officially began on March 28.
Verzosa is running against formidable rivals including former Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and incumbent Mayor Honey Lacuna, both of whom are also under COMELEC’s radar for similar vote-buying complaints.
Verzosa’s camp has yet to receive the official show-cause order but expressed willingness to respond once it is formally served. His lawyer, Atty. Cush Ravin Jainani, commented, “We don’t want to speculate. We will wait for the show cause order before we explain.”
