Commission on Elections Commissioner Rowena Guazon said yesterday that vote-buying seems more rampant in this year’s mid-term elections compared to the 2016 elections.
Guanzon reminded candidates not to engage in vote-buying as those found guilty will be disqualified. “Mga kandidatong mairereklamo ng vote-buying, maaring ma-disqualify kahit pa nanalo sa eleksiyon,” she warned.
Department of Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya confirmed that a “Task Force Kontra Bigay” has been established to look into those who engaged and involved in vote-buying.
“Talamak talaga ngayon ang vote-buying at vote selling sa buong bansa,” he said. “Mistulang tinanggap na ng mga Pinoy ang vote-buying sa mga nakaraang eleksiyon kaya naging talamak na ito ngayon,” he added.
With the elections now computerized, Malaya said “human intervention” when it comes to the results of the election is limited, thus, many candidates resort to vote-buying. “May iba’t ibang paraan ang pamimili ng boto, pwedeng bayad kapalit ng boto at puwede ring bayad kapalit ng hindi na lang pagboto,” he explained.
Malaya noted that there are politicians who spend so much money to buy votes. Thus, he warned voters not to vote for these candidates.
“Ang mga pulitikong gumagastos ng malaki sa pamimili ng boto, tiyak din umanong babawiin kapag sila ay naupo na sa puwesto,” he said.
Malaya said that the money involved in vote-buying ranges from P500 to P1,000. “May ulat din na hanggang P10,000 ang bayaran kada pamilya sa isang lugar sa Visayas,” he said.
Malaya said that based on the reports of the Philippine National Police, the then “guns, goons, and gold” has been replaced by “gold” only. “Gold na lamang ngayon o vote buying at vote selling at napalitan na ang pangha-harass ng pamimili ng boto ng mga kandidato,” he said.
Malaya urged the public to report incidents of vote-buying. “Sa mga magsusumbong ng insidente ng vote buying, mahalagang samahan na rin ng affidavit at mga ebidensiya para mapalakas ang reklamo laban sa isang kandidato,” he said.
“Mahigpit ang requirements sa paghahain ng reklamo laban sa mga may pakana ng vote-buying dahil mabigat din ang katapat na parusa sa kanila,” he added.
Another Comelec official said desperation has led candidates into buying votes for as low as P20 on the eve of the elections.
Comelec Education and Information Director Frances Arabe said that candidates, mostly in the provinces, were monitored buying votes for as low as P20 to P50 yesterday.
“Reports from anonymous sources reached us that there are candidates allegedly buying votes for P20 to P50. The money is attached on the flyers as they go house to house mostly in the provinces,” Arabe said.
The Comelec official said that they expect vote-buying activities to intensify today.
“Although it is now as low as P20, it can even go to higher amounts. We expect a lot more. The number of vote-buying activities today until tonight and even hanggang sa pagpasok ng mga botante sa polling precinct ay dadami,” Arabe said.
Four persons, including two Sangguniang Kabaataan officials, were arrested for alleged violation of the Omnibus Election Code in Cebu City Saturday.
Chief Supt. Debold Sinas, director of the Police Regional Police in Central Visayas, said that aside from the four arrests in Cogon Ramos, 29 other persons were arrested in Cebu City for violating the liquor ban. (Ina Malipot, Chito Chavez, Betheena Unite, and Calvin Cordova)
