Comelec notes rampant vote buying upfront, online

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) noted rising incidents of vote buying with some creative minds using online money transfers to buy and sell votes.

“The online money transfers, I expect it’s possible right? But there is no practical means of monitoring it, at least not from the Comelec side,” said Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez at the Manila Bulletin’s Kapihan sa MB forum.

“For the bulk of the vote buying now, it’s still offline transactions,” he added.

Jimenez said although vote buying is now becoming “rampant,” it is difficult to prevent it because it happens in “secret.”

Some voters admit that candidates paid for their transportation expense on their way to the province to vote. Supporters of other candidates, on the other hand wrap P500 bills on sample ballots bearing the name of the candidate.

The poll official said the Comelec and the police are focusing more on arresting vote buyers, since they are easier to track than vote sellers.

“We cannot deny the fact that there are many last-minute

voters who wait for the highest bidder. It’s something that’s talked about all the time that people are hanging around outside, refusing to go in on the off chances that someone will approach them and give money,” Jimenez said.

“There are some people who report vote buyers, but for vote sellers, since it’s an act personal to him, there wouldn’t be anyone who will confess that they are doing criminal acts. That’s why we are really focusing on vote buyers, the ones who really operate to give out money,” he added.

The Comelec spokesman said vote buyers and sellers are the only ones to be blamed for the prevalence of vote buying, and not the electoral system.

“This will not be solved by the automated elections. This is a people problem. It is a problem of the people who are part of the overall situation,” he said.

“The best that we can do is to make sure na pag may nakikitang ganyan, mahuhuli, mapo-prosecute, at malalagot ang mga politikong nasa likod ng mga ganyan (if you witness vote buying, make sure that those involved are arrested, prosecuted and politicians behind these will be held accountable),” he added.

Value your vote

Jimenez again reminded voters to choose their candidates wisely because the actions of elected leaders will affect the voter.

“Hindi lang isang tao sa isang malayong posisyon ang hinahalal natin. Ang hinahalal natin ay yung gobyernong naka-paligid satin, nagbibigay ng serbisyo satin (We are not only electing someone to a high position. We are electing the government that will serve us.) ,” he said.

Former Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal for his part said, information campaigns must be intensified now that there are only a few days left before the elections, to make voters feel that they have a “voice.”

“They don’t realize that they are selling themselves for that measly amount. They fail to realize the value of that single vote, because that vote, what’s at stake is the Philippine democracy. Shading that oval is probably the most important decision you’re going to make for the next three years,” he said.

“That P500 that you’re selling your vote for, you’re telling yourself that you don’t value your vote. So we have to reach out and stress to the voters that their single vote is much more important than any of this,” he added.