COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia confirmed on Saturday that its Committee on Kontra Bigay can act on a complaint filed against former Quezon City representative Vincent "Bingbong" Crisologo over the alleged misuse of P119 million in Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Ating Displaced Workers (Tupad) funds during his term in 2019.

The complaint, filed by the Quezon City Volunteers for Anti-Corruption (QCAC), urges the Comelec to take immediate action — including issuing a show cause order requiring Crisologo to explain his statements and identify the assistant involved. The group also demands a formal investigation into whether the Tupad funds were misused for electioneering, along with a public condemnation of such practices to prevent future violations.

Chairman Garcia clarified that election offenses have a five-year prescriptive period, leaving room for legal action despite the 2019 timeline.

In its complaint, the QCAC cited Crisologo's televised remarks as potential evidence of wrongdoing. During the interview, the former lawmaker appeared to admit that Tupad funds were improperly distributed in his final year in office.

"That's why in my last year when Tupad came out... I had [allocations] for 20,000 people. But how many voters in our district are in need? We have around 180,000 voters. Only 20,000 got help. You know how it is — 'sana all,' right?" he said.

Critics argue that the phrase "sana all" — a colloquial expression meaning "I wish everyone got the same" — suggests the funds were selectively distributed for political gain.

At P5,700 per beneficiary, the allocation for 20,000 individuals totals P114 million — a sum now under scrutiny for possible malversation, graft or even plunder.

More alarmingly, Crisologo — now seeking a congressional comeback in Quezon City's first district — admitted that he delegated the distribution to an assistant to avoid blame for any discrepancies.

"So what I did was give it to my assistant ... I said, go ahead and distribute it to those in need. At least if someone doesn't receive it, it won't be my fault ... it'll be his! Unfortunately, the assistant I trusted ended up profiting from it," he said.

QCAC Chairman Janno Orate argued that Crisologo's statement indicates negligence or possible complicity in the alleged misuse of Tupad, a Department of Labor and Employment aid program.

The group also pointed out that Crisologo's remarks qualify as an "admission against interest," a legal doctrine where a person's own words can be used as evidence against them. They cited the Supreme Court's ruling in People vs. Catacutan (2023), which upheld the admissibility of such declarations.

During a press briefing on Friday, QCAC legal counsel Jesus Falcis warned that Crisologo could face plunder charges if the P119 million was indeed misappropriated.

"If someone profited from the P119 million, that constitutes plunder," Falcis said.

The group also raised suspicions that the funds could have been used for vote-buying, though they acknowledged Crisologo's claim that his assistant stole the money.

QCAC emphasized that if Crisologo was truly innocent, he should have filed charges against his assistant — which he never did.

Crisologo, a veteran politician from a prominent Quezon City political clan, has yet to issue a formal response. His camp previously dismissed the allegations as "politically motivated."