ELECTION VIOLATION | At least 245 vote-buying cases reported but only 28 arrested, says DILG

May 13, 2022 , 09:35 AM

By Beatrice Puente

(May 13, 2022) – Some supporters of candidates were arrested for buying votes during the campaign period but those who transacted through digital means have yet to be punished, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Friday.

DILG secretary Eduardo Año said authorities received roughly 245 reports of vote-buying since the year started but only 25 were validated. Of this number, only one case has been filed before the court while the rest are either under investigation or filed with the prosecutor’s office.

“Mahirap kasi rito ‘yung paghahanap ng testigo. Marami ‘yung reports pero hindi mag-prosper ‘yung kaso kapag wala tayong testigo. Pero tuluy-tuloy naman ‘yung ating pagkuha ng mga ebidensya,” said Año on Ted Failon and DJ Chacha sa Radyo 5.

Año said the lone case being heard in court happened in Palayan, Nueva Ecija last April 30, involving eight suspects. He said the people in the complaint, filed by Mayor Adrianne Mae Cuevas, were caught in the act.

In total, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has arrested 28 people in relation to vote-buying allegations, according to Año.

He added that law enforcers were mostly able to arrest supporters but not those running for positions themselves. He, however, said the PNP has nabbed two barangay captains from Mariveles, Bataan who also engaged in vote-buying. Their case is currently at the prosecutor’s level.

There have been claims that vote-buyers also shifted to using digital payment wallets. With this process, Año admitted that authorities would have a difficult time probing because there is no actual money being handed out. He said informants and witnesses are crucial in catching violators.

“Kailangan talaga natin dito, meron tayong magvo-volunteer na merong nalalaman so that we can identify kahit na mga pangalan para ma-crosscheck natin kung merong mga movement. Medyo mabusising trabaho talaga ito,” noted Año.

Vote-buying and vote-selling are prohibited under the Omnibus Election Code. Individuals who are found guilty of committing any election offense can face a jail time of one to six years without any chance for probation. Political parties found guilty would also have to pay at least P10,000.

Advocacy groups, however, have slammed the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the past for its failure to mete out stiff punishments, especially to politicians, allowing for the illicit acts to continue.

The Comelec created a special task force this year that would probe cases of vote-buying. As of last week, the group, led by commissioner Aimee Ferolino, started reviewing at least 10 reported cases.

“(We encourage people) not only to report incidents of vote-buying and vote-selling but to come out and to actively participate in the investigation through the execution of an affidavit and submission of evidence,” said Ferolino last May 7.

(PM)

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