TACLOBAN CITY-Vote-selling and vote-buying can be considered as a modern cancer of democracy being compared to an illness that does not heal and hinders the constitutional right of suffrage of every citizen.
This was emphasized by Lawyer Ma. Goretti Caseñas-Cañas, Leyte provincial election supervisor during the meeting of the Committee on “Kontra Bigay” held recently at the Comelec Regional Office conference room in Tacloban City.
With barely two months ahead of the 2025 National and Local Elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Leyte Provincial Office will be conducting a close monitoring of the activities of local candidates as well as voters who may clandestinely practice vote-buying or vote-selling.
For the past elections, complaints about vote-buying or vote-selling were prevalent and perceived by many as a campaign strategy by some candidates.
Political aspirants resorted to some modes of vote-buying such as giving food or cellphone load to voters. But, monetary vote-buying is more popular when elections are so tight and positions are closely contested.
However, Cañas said no one was prosecuted for such offenses last year due to weak evidence and lack of witnesses.
The Comelec deemed it necessary to implement a whole-of-nation approach through the passage of Comelec Resolution No. 11104, thereby expanding more powers and functions to the Committee on “Kontra Bigay” which is composed of various government agencies and other stakeholders accredited as citizens arm of the Comelec.
With the passage of the new rules and guidelines, Cañas believes that it has more teeth now and can be stopped with the help of concerned agencies and other stakeholders before it metastasizes like cancer.
“It cannot be stopped by Comelec alone. It needs the concerted efforts of other government agencies and stakeholders to put an end to this malady,” Cañas said.
By virtue of the said resolution, the Committee has the power to direct and supervise synchronized operations against vote-selling, vote-buying, and abuse of state resources.
The Committee on “Kontra Bigay” will report incidents of vote-buying and vote-selling that are committed “in flagrante delicto” (caught in the act) to the Philippine National Police or Armed Forces of the Philippines having jurisdiction over the place where the alleged offense took place and gather relevant evidence for such activities including abuse of state resources in elections such as corroborated video clips, photographs and audio or visual recordings in relation to the report or complaint filed.
Cañas explained that abuse of state resources refers to the misuse of government resources whether material, human, regulatory, budgetary, media-related, and others for electoral advantage.
As an example, an abuse of state resources occurs when a government vehicle is being used by candidates in their campaign activities.
The committee was first implemented during the Sangguniang Kabataan and Barangay Elections in October 2023.
It is expected that the Committee members in Leyte will start its monitoring activities on March 28, 2025, the start of campaign period for local candidates.
(CBA/PIA Eastern Visayas)
