Comelec urges PNP to enforce warrantless arrest vs vote buyers

A day before the 2025 national and local elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) to proceed with the arrest of vote buyers caught in the act even without a warrant issued against them.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia on Sunday gave the assurance that they “will definitely protect” police officers who may face legal consequences for enforcing a warrantless arrest against vote buyers, which he pointed out is allowed under the law.

“Allowed ang warrantless arrest sapagkat ‘yan mismo ay pinapayagan ng 1987 Constitution at ‘yung mga desisyon ng Korte Suprema, lalo pa kung ‘yung aarestuhin mo ay caught in flagrante delicto o ‘yun bang caught in the act sa harapan mismo ang krimen,” Garcia explained in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(A warrantless arrest is allowed based on the 1987 Constitution and the decisions of the Supreme Court, especially if the person being arrested is caught in flagrante delicto or caught in the act of committing a crime.)

“Ang ating instruction sa PNP, bilang aming deputized agent, na kinakailangan pigilan natin ang pamimili ng boto. Mang-aresto tayo ng mga tao kahit walang warrant of arrest sapagkat ‘yan ay tahasang krimen na ginagawa sa ating mga harapan,” he added.

(Our instruction to the PNP as our deputized agent is to stop vote buying. Arrest people even without a warrant because that is a blatant crime being committed in front of us.)

Garcia said that even those who were found selling votes may also get apprehended and face up to six years of imprisonment.

He also urged the public to take videos of those who are vote-buying and vote-selling.

“Kapag nakasuhan kayo, hindi lang po ‘yun kulong. ‘Yan ay may kasamang perpetual disqualification to hold public office,” he emphasized.

(When you are charged, you will not just face jail time but also perpetual disqualification to hold public office.)

The poll body in February issued a resolution allowing law enforcement to arrest vote buyers and sellers without a warrant if they are caught in the act.

As of Thursday, May 8, the Comelec Committee on Kontra Bigay received over 400 reports of vote-buying, vote-selling, and abuse of state resources for Eleksyon 2025.

Meanwhile, the PNP on Saturday said it documented five cases of vote-buying across several regions nationwide, so far. —KG, GMA Integrated News

For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.