Comelec spox Jimenez denies singling out Robredo in vote-buying tweet

Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesperson James Jimenez on Tuesday denied that he was singling out Vice President Leni Robredo when he tweeted about vote buying recently.

In an interview on ANC, Jimenez said it was "unfair" that he was being criticized for his tweet.

"The criticism is unfair because I have been on social media talking about these things over and over again. It just so happened that when I tweeted that out, someone had said it immediately prior," he said.

Jimenez explained that he was just reiterating his stance against vote buying.

"I’ve said that anyone who had said this is wrong. Anyone. I never named anyone in that original tweet that offended a lot of people,” he said.

"Let me be very clear, I was not singling anyone out and I am saying that anyone who says it is wrong."

Jimenez's tweet reminded the public that vote buying is an election offense

His remark came a day after Robredo, a presidential aspirant in the 2022 elections, said Filipinos who are offered money in exchange for their vote should take the money but vote for their preferred candidate.

Robredo eventually clarified her statement, saying she never condones vote buying and that she was only pointing out realities on the ground.

Robredo's remark about accepting the money was similar to the position held by the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, former Comelec Commissioner Christian Monsod, and former Vice President Jejomar Binay, among others.

While Jimenez disagrees with the vice president’s stand on vote buying, he said last week that Robredo is not criminally liable over her comment.

Vote buying and vote selling are considered as election offenses under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code. —KBK, GMA News