Some barangay bets bought votes for P200-P300, Comelec says

Some candidates in the barangay elections paid voters P200 to P300 to help ensure their victory, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Monday, citing reports it received.

"Kagabi pa lang may natatanggap na kaming reports of vote-buying operations being done in full swing... Based on our reports, may mga candidates na nagbibigay ng P200 to P300 [para iboto ang] slate nila," Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said in a television interview.

Jimenez said most of the reports came from concerned individuals who either witnessed or heard about the payoffs in their barangays.

"Mas masugid nang mag-report ang publiko tungkol dito (vote buying) at sa tingin namin, yun ay positive effect ng pagkakita nila ng disqualification ng certain officials [dahil doon] noong midterm elections," he said.

Earlier this month, the Comelec disqualified elected local officials Benedict Calderon, Alfredo Germar and Rogelio Santos Jr. for vote buying.

Calderon, mayor of Roxas, Isabela, reportedly gave out bags of rice and live pigs to constituents during the May 2013 midterm elections while Germar and Santos, mayor and councilor of Norzagaray town in Bulacan, respectively, allegedly bought votes on and before election day.

Vote buying is an election offense under Section 261 of Article XXII of the Omnibus Election Code.

According to the law, "it is unlawful to solicit votes or undertake any propaganda on the day of registration before the board of election inspectors and on the day of election, for or against any candidate or any political party within the polling place and within a radius of thirty meters thereof."

The Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) said Monday that it also received reports of candidates allegedly buying votes in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.

Jimenez said although the Comelec is bent on pursuing cases against poll bets who reportedly paid off voters, no legal action against them will prosper if witnesses do not come forward to testify.

"Kailangan talaga namin ng witness sa ganitong mga kaso kasi kahit makakita kami ng isang bayong ng pera na may note na galing yun sa isang kandidato, kung walang tetestigo, sasabihin set-up lang yun," he said.

While Jimenez described the barangay elections as "very successful" because a majority of voters were able to cast their votes, Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said in a separate interview that "isolated” incidents of strafing, shooting, and snatching of ballots or ballot boxes marred the conduct of the 2013 barangay polls. — Xianne Arcangel/JDS/KBK, GMA News