Marilyn Cahatol

NCRPO Chief Guillermo Eleazar presents branagay officials arrested in Makati over alleged vote-buying. Anjo Bagaoisan, ABS-CBN News

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ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:928px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1747048750454vote-buying (2).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="NCRPO Chief Guillermo Eleazar presents barangay officials arrested in Makati over alleged vote-buying. Anjo Bagaoisan, ABS-CBN News "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">NCRPO Chief Guillermo Eleazar presents barangay officials arrested in Makati over alleged vote-buying. Anjo Bagaoisan, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Vote-buying is not only an electoral offense but also feeds a &quot;greater evil&quot; of patronage politics, graft and corruption and performative governnance, a political analyst said Monday, May 12.</p><p>That is why authorities have to deal with the problem seriously and consistently.</p><p>“’Pag hindi natin natanggal ang vote-buying na iyan, ang mga politiko natin, iisipin lagi nila na this is an effective way of winning,” said lawyer and lecturer Michael Henry Yusingco during an interview with Teleradyo Serbisyo.  </p><p>(If vote-buying is not removed from the system, all politicians would assume that it is an effective way of winning.) </p><p>The center of vote-buying is money, Yusingco said, which means aspirants will need to stick to backers and financiers with vast financial resources. This, in turn, feeds patronage politics and elite capture of government.</p><p>A winning candidate would need to make back what was spent during the campaign season, making them more susceptible to the temptation of graft and corruption.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/24/comelec-questions-20-more-candidates-over-vote-buying-allegations-2123">Comelec questions 20 more candidates over vote-buying allegations</a></div><p>The political analyst likened vote-buying to a “Faustian deal,” where the candidate sacrifices their morality, including their soul, for temporary gains. </p><p>“That is the bigger evil of vote-buying... It sustains that kind of politics, and also graft and corruption in government,” said Yusingco. </p><p>He added that vote-buying does not affect politicians and candidates the worst. Instead, it is the normal people who would endure having to live under the same “traditional politicians.” </p><p>Yusingco projected that political dynasties would continue to dominate the political landscape and “crumble democracy.” </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/1/-elexplain-political-dynasty-part-2-1718">#Elexplain: Why an anti-political dynasty law is elusive</a></div><p>According to him, the public can expect more projects similar to ayuda programs and the P20 per kilo of rice, which he categorized as “performative governance,” instead of urgent and long-term changes to the political system.</p><div><strong>CITIZENS CAN REPORT VOTE-BUYING INCIDENTS </strong></div><p>The general public can report vote-buying incidents in their area if there is strong evidence of it it, said Yusingco. </p><p>“Isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit hindi nawawala itong mga nagbo-vote-buying ay hindi nakukulong yung mga bumibili ng boto,” he said. </p><p>(One of the reasons why vote-buying persists is because its perpetrators do not get caught.) </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/11/where-and-how-to-report-vote-buying-fake-news-and-poll-violations-1428">Where and how to report vote-buying, &#x27;fake news,&#x27; and election violations</a></div><p>He advised anyone who wants to report a vote-buying incident to contact a non-government organization and civil service organization like the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE), or the media to guide them in exposing candidates’ wrongdoings without compromising their safety.  </p><p>Yusingco said technological advancements such as video-recording devices and social media allow citizens to help expose and combat vote-buying.  </p><p>The lecturer reminded the public to provide accurate information and context when using social media to expose vote-buying.</p><p>The Commission on Elections has, through the course of the campaign period, ordered several candidates in the 2025 midterm elections to explain vote-buying allegations.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g_yfLu0Bw_0?si=ZfUHVCF9znwmgwXe" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>Vote-buying is not only an electoral offense, but a root of an intergenerational problem of patronage politics, graft and corruption, political dynasty and performative governance, said an independent political analyst on Monday, May 12.</p>

Vote-buying is not only an electoral offense, but a root of an intergenerational problem of patronage politics, graft and corruption, political dynasty and performative governance, said an independent political analyst on Monday, May 12.

Vote-buying feeds bigger political evil — analyst

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Vote-buying feeds bigger political evil — analyst

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 12, 2025 08:16 PM PHT

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