THE Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is eyeing to ban electronic cash transfers through bank or electronic wallet applications days prior to the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), to restrict the usual vote-buying during elections.

Atty. Marino Salas, provincial election supervisor, said the COMELEC head office already  formed a committee tasked to monitor the movement or flow of money throughout the election period and it’s likely that the ban will be implemented five days before the BSKE on October 30

Salas said the COMELEC is consulting  with the Anti Money Laundering Council (AMLC), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and the Department of Finance, on how to prevent vote buying.

Vote buying under the Omnibus Election Code is a grave offense, but candidates always found ways to continue their vote-buying sprees.

The planned move  will include the prohibition of carrying P500,000 during the five days and on the day of the BSKE.

“If this is approved, anyone carrying said amount may be criminally charged”, he said.

There are, however, people who are exempted from this, such as individuals tasked as messengers and cashiers who transport large sums of money, and they simply provide proof that it is in their line of work.

During the 2022 elections, the use of electronic cash payment apps such as GCash and PayMaya has become widely used, as this ensures a confidential and peer-to-peer transaction, not needing physical money to be passed.

Salas warned that persons who have been charged and found guilty of vote-buying will be imprisoned from one to six years. (Ahikam Pasion)

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