Robredo says she never condones vote buying, insists it's illegal

Vice President Leni Robredo on Wednesday clarified her remark about vote buying, saying that she never condones it and that she was just pointing out realities on the ground.

Robredo, standard bearer of the opposition for the 2022 national elections, said Tuesday that Filipinos who are being offered with money in exchange for their vote should take the money but still vote for their preferred candidate.

During a press conference in Naga City, Robredo said her statement on vote buying was reposted in social media without context. The Vice President clarified that vote buying is illegal and that authorities should strengthen the enforcement of policies against it.

"'Yung sinabi ko kahapon, 'yung vote buying mali 'yun. 'Yung vote buying mali 'yun pero over the years, very rampant siya dito sa atin. In fact, kahit dito sa atin, very rampant ang vote buying... 'yung frustrating dito sa lahat kasi hindi maayos 'yung pag-i-implement ng regulations about vote buying," Robredo said.

(Vote buying is wrong, however, the practice is very rampant over the years even here. What's frustrating is that the regulations against vote buying are not being implemented properly.)

"Aware tayo sa nasa batas, hindi tayo masaya na hindi ito nae-enforce pero dapat bukas 'yung mata natin sa realities on the ground. Bukas 'yung mata natin sa realities on the ground, kung hindi maayos 'yung enforcement, ano ba 'yung gagawin natin? Kung hindi maayos 'yung enforcement ano ba 'yung gagawin natin?" she added.

(I am aware of the law. We are not happy that the policy against it is not being enforced properly. We should be open on the realities on the ground. If regulations are not properly enforced then what should we do?"

Robredo stressed that she is not tolerating vote buying but she is urging law enforcers to properly implement the law against it.

"Hindi natin kinoconde 'yung vote buying, in fact isa tayo sa matagal ng nakikipaglaban sa vote buying pero hinihingi natin sa ating mga awtoridad na 'yung enforcement nito maging maayos," Robredo added.

Robredo said those who engaged in vote buying activities in the part were not being sanctioned. She recalled an instance in her political life wherein she filed a case against vote buying, however, it was dismissed despite strong pieces of evidence.

Also, the Vice President said voters should not allow vote buyers to scare them into submission as their votes will remain confidential and that candidates who buy votes would not use their own money to do so. —LBG, GMA News