AS ELEKSYON 2022 CAMPAIGN STARTS

Comelec spox urges public to report vote buying incidents

Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez on Tuesday urged the public to report incidents of vote buying as the campaign season for this year’s national and local elections officially started.

Jimenez advised the public to document the incidents of vote buying and encouraged them to file a complaint.

“Ang panawagan namin sa publiko ay ‘pag nakakita kayo ng lumalabag ay ireport ninyo ‘yan kahit kakampi ninyo ‘yan huwag nating papabayaan makalusot dahil kakampi natin yung kandidato, kailangan ireport natin yung kanilang paglabag,” Jimenez said in an interview with G TV’s Balitanghali.

(Our call to the public is that when you see a violator, report it even if they are your allies, we should not let them get through just because they are our allies, we must report their violation.)

“Kapag kayo nakakita ng instances ng vote buying, meron po kayong puwedeng gawin. Puwede po kayong magdokument nung nakita ninyong vote buying at ine-encourage namin sila magfile ng complaint. ‘Yan po kasi ang pinakamahalagang aspeto ng laban, laban sa vote buying,” he explained.

(If you see instances of vote buying, there is something you can do. You can document when you see vote buying and we encourage them to file a complaint because that is the most important aspect of the fight against vote buying.)

Coordination with barangay execs

Meanwhile, Jimenez said the campaign committee has coordinated with the barangay officials to monitor violations during the campaign period.

“Meron po tayong kasing campaign committee in several levels, and isa sa mga trabaho ng campaign committee natin is to coordinate with the barangay structures. Ang sinasabi po natin is pagmay nakita po tayong violation sa campaign rules natin ito ay ituturing nating election offense maaring magkaroon ng pagkakulong or fine,” he said.

(We have a campaign committee in several levels, and one of their jobs is to coordinate with the barangay structures. What we are saying is that, if they find a violation of our campaign rules, we will consider it an election offense, there may be imprisonment or fine.)

Under Section 14 of Comelec Resolution 10372, the following activities are strictly prohibited during in-person campaigns in all Alert Level categories  including handshakes, hugs, kisses, going arm-in-arm in any action that involves physical contact among the candidate, their companions, and the public.

Taking selfies, photographs and other similar activities that require close proximity between the candidate and their companions, and the public were also prohibited.

The official campaign period for Eleksyon 2022 candidates running for national positions and party-list groups has started February 8 amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Eleksyon 2022 is set on May 9. — RSJ, GMA News