Lacson: Comelec should be more aggressive in implementing laws vs. vote-buying

Published March 31, 2022 02:59 PM By HANA BORDEY,GMA News

KALAWIT, Zamboanga del Norte—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) should be more aggressive in implementing laws against vote-buying, presidential candidate and Senator Panfilo Lacson said Thursday.

"They should be more aggressive sa pagpapatupad ng mga Comelec laws. Para saan pa 'yung mga pinasa nating Comelec laws sa Election Code kung hindi nila ipapatupad?" Lacson said in a press conference.

The lawmaker made the remark when asked about election watchdog Kontra Daya's call for the Comelec

to catch the "big fish" or the politicians who perpetrate vote-buying.

"We need to have a sample. Kumbaga sa wikang Filipino, may kailangan ma-sampolan doon sa ganitong klaseng practice ng vote buying," Kontra Daya convenor Danilo Arao said in a previous interview with GMA News Online.

(We need to have a sample. As what Filipinos say, there should be a test case in going after those involved in vote buying.)

"We hope that the Comelec will be able to catch one of the big fishes and by big fish we mean, arrest or prosecute certain candidates," he added.

Several incidents were reported where local officials were seen giving away money which are said to be cash prizes and financial aid to attendees of campaign rallies.

These reports include the incidents in Nueva Ecija where white envelopes containing P500, supposed to be cash aid, were distributed

outside Governor Aurelio Umali's residence after the campaign rally of presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and in Cavite where Governor Jonvic Remulla was seen giving away cash prizes to those who joined a talent showdown during the campaign sortie of the same presidential bet.

Vote-buying and vote-selling are considered election offenses under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code.

Lacson then reiterated the problem of law enforcement in the government.

"'Yan ang problema sa bansa natin saganang sagana sa batas, kulang na kulang sa implementasyon and it cuts across all government agencies, all departments, all branches pati Comelec," Lacson said.

In their campaign sorties, Lacson and vice presidential candidate Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the best people who can implement the laws are those who have crafted it.

Lacson visited the small town of Kalawit Thursday to seek more votes from Mindanao.

He was with senatorial bets Minguita Padilla and Manny Piñol.

Lacson's ticket was endorsed by Kalawit Mayor Salvador Antojado Jr., a former Marine officer.

For the 2022 national elections, Kalawit has 16,005 registered voters, according to the data of the Comelec.—AOL, GMA News
 

View on GMA News