Vote-buying efforts to be aggressive this weekend, LENTE warns

Poll watchdog Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) on Friday reminded voters not to be swayed by aggressive efforts of vote buying and vote selling expected over the weekend.

"Ngayon pong darating na weekend, tayo po ay mag ingat sa mga manggagapang at ito po ang huling araw na mamimili ng boto ang ating mga kandidato at kanilang mga supporters para ma-ensure ang kanilang pagkapanalo sa eleksyon," LENTE executive director Atty. Ona Caritos said in an interview on Balitanghali.

"Lalo na 'yung Sunday ng gabi, gapangan 'yan," she stressed.

LENTE was chosen as the new lead convenor of the random manual audit for the May 13 midterm elections.

In a radio interview, Caritos said their organization is focused in making sure polling places will be accessible to all voters, including people with disabilities, the elderly, detainees, and indigenous people (IPs) on May 13.

Caritos also reminded voters that polling places will open at 6 a.m. and close at 6 p.m.

LENTE describes its group as the first nationwide network of volunteer lawyers, law students and paralegals trained and deployed to monitor elections in the Philippines. —Margaret Claire Layug/LDF, GMA News