Lacson urges Comelec, NPC link-up vs. 'digital vote-buying'

Presidential aspirant and Senator Panfilo Lacson on Thursday urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to closely coordinate with the National Privacy Commission (NPC) to prevent “digital vote-buying” in Eleksyon 2022.

"Dapat maging close ‘yung coordination ng Comelec sa ating Data Privacy Commission… kaya naman itong i-trace kung tutuusin, ‘yung digital vote buying,” Lacson said during their weekly press conference.

(Comelec should have a close coordination with the Data Privacy Commission; digital vote buying can be traced.)

“So, kailangan talaga, ‘yung resolve ng Comelec, kung gusto nila i-correct ito, ngayon pa lang dapat nakikipag-ugnayan na sila more closely with the Data Privacy Commission nang sa ganoon ma-address kaagad natin itong problema ng digital vote-buying,” he added.

(So if the Comelec really wants to correct this, as early as now, they should be coordinating closely with the Data Privacy Commission so that we could address the problem of digital vote-buying.)

GMA News Online has sought Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez's comment on the matter, but he has yet to respond as of posting time.

Lacson made the remark after Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said that vote buying and fake news are the top threats to the elections.

As early as June, Guanzon said the same problems of vote-buying and spread of fake news could hound the national elections in May 2022, expressing her wish that these would be eradicated.—LDF, GMA News