QUEZON CITY, (PIA) — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has made its task force against vote buying a permanent body, officially launching the “Kontra Bigay” committee to ensure electoral integrity for the upcoming May 2025 elections.
Commissioner Ernesto Ferdinand Maceda Jr. discussed the significance of this development during the “Impormasyon at Aksyon” teleradyo program. He emphasized that the temporary nature of the previous task force hindered ongoing efforts to combat vote buying, stating, “A problem of serious vote buying requires a serious solution.”
Maceda referenced a study conducted from 1900 to 2019, which demonstrated that enhancing the organizational structure and monitoring capabilities of election commissions leads to increased public trust and a reduction in vote buying incidents.
He noted that vote buying often occurs against a backdrop of poverty and social vulnerability.
“Some sell their votes as a simple economic exchange, while others do so out of fear or a sense of duty,” he explained. “Gratitude and the expectation of handouts are also cultural norms that perpetuate vote buying.”
The commissioner pointed out that nearly 10 percent of reported vote buying incidents during the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections involved the misuse of social welfare assistance, commonly referred to as “ayuda.”
“To address this, our committee will focus not only on vote buying but also on the abuse of state resources,” Maceda added, highlighting that such resources are public property.
In 2023, the Comelec reported cases against 27 barangay and SK officials, with five disqualifications pending and 19 confirmed. Maceda encouraged the public to report any incidents of vote buying, assuring them that complaints can be submitted anonymously, provided sufficient evidence is presented.
“We will take action as long as you bring us clear evidence, such as videos,” he said. “We have the authority to continue these investigations.” (JCO/PIA-NCR)
