Comelec warns candidates, voters of severe penalties
VOTE-BUYING, VOTE-SELLING
DAGUPAN City Elections Officer Michael Frank Sarmiento warned both candidates and voters who resort to vote-buying and vote-selling that the two unfair election acts are punishable under the Omnibus Election Code and those convicted of the offense stand to suffer up to nine years imprisonment.
Moreover, candidates convicted of the same will suffer perpetual disqualification of holding public office and the candidates who won in the election through that means will not be allowed to assume office or continue the remaining parts of his/her term, Sarmiento said.
However, Commission on Elections can only investigate incidents of vote-buying and vote-selling if it receives a verified or notarized complaint from a citizen.
He said Comelec and Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPRCV) will conduct a series of orientation and education drive to warn candidates against buying votes and voters against selling their votes.
Meanwhile, Sarmiento led in dismantling on April 19 of oversized posters and posters nailed on trees, electric post and installed and connected on hanging electric wires along the national highway in Bonuan as part of the national campaign launched by the poll body against unauthorized election paraphernalia.
All the seized posters and election paraphernalia were deposited at a compound in Bonuan Binloc under the watch of the Comelec to be preserved as evidence against the candidate if a case will soon arise against them.
He said in the case of campaign paraphernalia posted on private properties, the Comelec will inquire from the owners of the property if they allowed the posting of such paraphernalia which must still conform with the size prescribed by Comelec. (Leonardo Micua)
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