LEGAZPI CITY (PIA) — A Commission on Elections (Comelec) panel is determined to penalize vote-buyers and anyone who assisted them in the Bicol region, and has initiated investigations into these cases following the election.
Comelec Regional Elections Director Maria Juana Valeza on Wednesday announced that the Comelec Committee on Kontra Bigay (CKB) is currently investigating 48 cases of vote-buying in Bicol.
“Unfortunately, Bicol has the highest incidence of vote-buying in the entire Philippines, according to an analysis by Comelec,” Valeza said during the Ugnayan sa Bicol.
Explaining the relatively high cases in Bicol, she said: “All over the country, there was vote-buying, except that people (in Bicol) were somewhat emboldened to report it.”
Valeza said the CKB regional committee has issued subpoena to respondents to the vote-buying complaints.
“Hopefully ma-resolve namin ang complaints this week at madesisyonan na ng Comelec,” she added.
(Hopefully, we can resolve the complaints this week, and the Comelec will make a decision.)
The CKB strengthened efforts against vote buying and selling by empowering law enforcement agencies, including the police and military, to conduct surveillance and gather evidence against this electoral violation.
The police operations against vote-buying intensified in the two days leading up to Election Day as part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision for clean, honest, and fair elections.
Under Comelec Resolution 11104, presumed acts of vote-buying and vote-selling are the possession or distribution of money, goods, or campaign materials intended to influence voters.
Vote-buying and vote-selling, as defined under Article 12 of the Omnibus Election Code, are punishable by imprisonment of one to six years. (PIA Bicol).
