MANILA – Ahead of the campaign period for the May 12 elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) called on voters to refrain from selling their votes and supporting candidates who engage in such practices.

At the launch of the “Kontra Bigay” (anti-bribery) task force on Friday, Comelec Chairperson George Garcia emphasized that voters have the power to put an end to vote buying and selling.

“All efforts will be in vain if people continue selling votes and supporting those who buy them. Do not accept money and do not vote for these candidates,” Garcia said. “Vote buyers can’t succeed if you reject the money. Have the courage to say no to vote buying.”

Garcia urged voters to treat any vote buying offer as an insult. “Don’t let anyone exploit our poverty. It is disgraceful that people take advantage of our hunger and hardship,” he added.

Vote buying is defined under the Omnibus Election Code as offering money or anything of value to influence someone’s vote, while vote selling is soliciting or accepting money or goods in exchange for voting.

The 90-day campaign period for senatorial candidates and party-list representatives will begin on February 11.

elami/mnm

By Liezelle Soriano

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson George Garcia said that persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) may still run for office if there is no final conviction yet.

Garcia made the clarification after three PDLs won in the recently-concluded Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) 2023.

The Comelec chairperson cited the case of Aguinaldo v. Comelec in which the Supreme Court ruled that inmates have the right to vote and be voted as long as final judgment has not been made yet.

“Pinayagan natin sila makaboto sapagkat sabi po ng Korte Suprema doon sa kaso ng Aguinaldo versus Comelec at saka po [Bureau of Corrections], dahil hindi pa sila finally convicted, wala pang final judgment na sila ay guilty, therefore, meron pa silang karapatan bumoto at may karapatang maiboto. ‘Yun po ang kadahilanan kung bakit sila ay nakaboto at nakatakbo,” Garcia said in an interview with DZBB.

Garcia said PDLs are still not permitted to attend barangay halls in order to serve, even if they are permitted to seek office.

“Ngayon, paano sila magsisilbi? In the meantime, siguro naman po ay alam ng mga constituency nila na sila ay nasa kulungan… In the meantime, deprived of liberty po siya and very limited ang kaya at pwede lamang niyang gawin,” he said.

(ai/mnm)