COMELEC: Money ‘giver’, not candidate, accountable
VOTE-BUYING VIOLATION RULE
THE person handing out the money and the recipient are the ones who can be charged for violation of vote-buying and selling, not the candidate being supported, according to Dagupan City Elections Officer Atty. Michael Franks Sarmiento.
Speaking during the PIA Pangsinan program’s “Pantongtongan Tayo” on Wednesday, Sarmiento clarified that the parties involved in vote-buying are the actual giver of the money, who is usually the leader and coordinator of the candidate, and the one who accepts it.
Sarmiento clarified this as he announced the reactivation of the “Kontra Bigay” task force, composed of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Dagupan City Police, National Bureau of Investigation, Integrated Bar of the Philippines local chapter, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), National Movement for Free Election (Namfrel), and another election watchdog, Lente.
He said the police can arrest the suspected vote-buyer without any warrant of arrest. A citizen’s arrest may also be implemented by the civilian population if they catch a vote-buyer and seller on the spot.
Video footage, not mere photos, can also be used as evidence against the suspects, who upon conviction can face six years imprisonment and auxiliary penalty of perpetual disqualification from holding public office for candidates.
He added that formal complaints, and not mere allegations, are needed for the “Kontra Bigay” task force to act on reported vote-buying and selling.
He said the COMELEC and the Police have intensified checkpoint operations in strategic areas of Dagupan in a bid to deter vote-buying and selling as well as intercept the transport of firearms and catch criminals.
Sarmiento also said that the political history of Dagupan, where the same faces of candidates are contesting in the elections, was the main reason why the city was placed under the yellow category or area of concern in this election.
No untoward incident has so far been recorded in the city, except for reports of illegal destruction of campaign posters by opposing candidates and parties. (Leonardo Micua)
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