As poll looms,10 vote buying cases filed before Comelec

May 10, 2019

Three days before the midterm elections, a total of 10 vote buying cases were already filed before the Commission on Elections ( Comelec).

In a briefing Friday, Comelec director John Rex Laudiangco, head of anti-vote-buying task force, said the cases were filed at their law department.

These 10 are part of the 24 recorded cases of vote buying for this election as of Friday.

Laudiangco said this task force is to help law enforcement agencies to address vote buying.

"To ensure that from the drafting of the complaint, to the case build up, to the filing of the cases... and eventually securing a conviction, we are (working) together," he said.

He urged the public to not be afraid and report to law enforcement agencies and acts of vote buying and selling as the task force is wide ranging,

"We will be here... from Department of Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police, Comelec, National Bureau of Investigation and including the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission. So we have practically enable a nationwide network solely to assist and ensure that we will be able to investigate, prosecute and convict those who are involved in vote buying and selling," Laudiangco said.

He said those who will be proven doing illegal voting and selling will face election offenses such as perpetual disqualification in holding public office and running for public office.

Philippine National Police ( PNP) Director for Operations Director Mao Aplasca said these 24 vote buying incidents were recorded in Calabarzon and Cordillera regions.

"We were able to arrest 24 already but two were able to escape," said Aplasca.

Aplasca said they will create teams per region.

"For National Capital Region Police Office, there will be six teams. One per district and another team for national headquarters. For regional offices, there will going to create one team per province and chartered city; and another team for regional headquarters," said Aplasca.

He said there will be a total of 105 teams composed of eight to ten members coming from Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Intelligence Group, Special Action Forces and from their reserve forces.

The two organizations said by creating the task force, it shows that the government is "taking seriously" these kind of illegal activities during election.

"There is no message but to reiterate the strong message of Comelec that this time we will take vote buying seriously," Aplasca said.

"We are also appealing to the public to support us in this campaign because we cannot do this alone... we ask for their support by reporting vote buying and selling," he added. Ella Dionisio/DMS