BANGUED, Abra (PIA) – The Provincial Committee on ‘Kontra Bigay’ in Abra was reactivated to intensify measures against vote buying and vote selling.
Provincial Election Supervisor (PES) Nicasio S. Jacob stressed the prohibitions of vote buying and vote selling, especially with the start of the campaign period for local candidates including bets for the House of Representatives, provincial, and municipal officials.
“It is not only the COMELEC but it will involve almost all the agencies of the government to see to it that vote buying and vote selling is deterred in its minimum, ibig sabihin ma-prevent natin o mai-reduce natin ang occurrence ng vote buying and vote selling,” he stressed.
Jacob explained that vote buying is like buying rice from the market but instead of rice, the votes of the people are bought either using money, employment, franchise or licenses.
Meanwhile, vote selling is the act of asking or receiving, directly or indirectly, money or anything of value in exchange of his/her vote.
He explained that there must be at least two persons liable, the buyer and the seller, for vote buying and vote selling to occur.
Jacob added that vote buying and selling can also be done using g-cash payments or bank transfers which are being monitored by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
“Meron tayong uniformed penalty when it comes to election offenses and that is one year but not more than six years imprisonment. Another is disqualification to hold public office and also the deprivation of the right of suffrage. For political parties, they will be fined,” he said.
Aside from vote buying, Jacob also tackled prohibitions under the abuse of state resources. He warned against officials and candidates using government funds, equipment, personnel, and other resources in campaign activities.
He urged concerned agencies and the public to help in cracking down vote buying and vote selling by submitting reports through official reporting channels thru the Comelec Abra Opes Facebook page, [email protected], or via cellphone number 0927 193 9880.
During the 2nd Provincial Joint Security Command Center Coordinating Meeting on March 26, 2025 at the Camp Juan Villamor in Bangued, Jacob presented the composition of the Committee Kontra Bigay that include Provincial Election Supervisor, provincial or area heads of the Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Commission on Audit, and Civil Service Commission, Philippine National Police, Philippine Army, Provincial Prosecutor, National Bureau of Investigation, and representative of the provincial chapter of the citizen’s arm. (JJMT, PIA-CAR,Abra)
