Virgilio Lorenzo Jr

Over 600 cases of vote buying reported, says Comelec

Residents cast their votes at President Corazon Aquino Elementary  School, Quezon City's  largest polling center on May 9, 2016.   Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Kevin Alabaso

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Commission on Elections said Sunday it has received over 600 cases of vote buying ahead of the 2025 midterm elections.The poll body said it had initially over 500 vote buying cases being investigated but had a recent increase of over 100 additional cases.&quot;Hindi kami magpapa-tumpik-tumpik na ipatupad ang batas. Kung kinakailangan mag-disqualify kami kahit kayo ay manalo na. Kahit nga kayo ay matalo, hahabulin namin [kayo] dahil mayroon naman tayong kasong election offense na pwedeng i-file kahit limang taon pagkatapos na ma-commit ang krimeng ito,&quot; Comelec chief George Erwin Garcia said in an interview with TeleRadyo Serbisyo.Garcia also hinted that they are aware of an alleged vote buying incident in Quezon City on May 10 and May 11.&quot;Alam ko d&#x27;yan sa Quezon City kanina lamang umaga at kahapon pa ang haba ng pila dyan. At alam namin lahat kung sino &#x27;yung mga involved na mga pulitiko. May kandidato pa ngang congressman dyan eh. Therefore, asahan nila na magi-issue kami ng show-cause orders,&quot; he said.When asked on which area had the most rampant vote buying cases, Garcia said the National Capital Region takes the cake.&quot;Sa NCR talaga, pagkatapos mayroon din dyan sa Zamboanga City, mayroon po dyan sa Limay, Bataan, sa Laguna. Hindi tumitigil e kasi mayroon din dito sa Region 3, magmula sa Bulacan at iba pang parte,&quot; he said.Meanwhile, Garcia also appealed to politicians to exercise fairness in the elections.&quot;Nananawagan kami sa inyo — maging patas. Sundin ang mga patakaran. Igalang ang proseso at higit lahat, ang sambayanang Pilipino. Ang serbisyo publiko ay dapat sumasalamin ng katapatan, disiplina, at kababaang-loob,&quot; he said in a press release.&quot;Taos-puso kaming nagpapasalamat sa mga kandidatong namuno sa kanilang kampanya nang may dangal, sumunod sa mga alituntunin, at nirerespeto ang ating mga botante. Paalala kayo ng kung anong klase ng pamumuno ang dapat umiiral,&quot; he added.

The poll body said it had initially over 500 vote buying cases being investigated but had a recent increase of over 100 additional cases.

The poll body said it had initially over 500 vote buying cases being investigated but had a recent increase of over 100 additional cases.