Vote-buyers
IT is said that it is really very difficult to eradicate vote-buying and vote-selling in the Philippines, where regular elections, national and local, are held every three years.
As a developing nation teeming with election-crazy people, notably in the countryside, there’s that urgent need to come up with measures aimed at addressing the problem.
In fact, various quarters, including the ordinary citizens across the Philippines, acknowledged that vote-buying during elections “is a threat to Philippine demoocracy.”
That’s why we commend the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) for their decision to go after individuals involved in vote-buying.
In a memorandum of agreement signed last Monday, Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia and Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla vowed to prosecute vote-buyers.
Under the Omnibus Election Code, if found guilty, vote-buyers and vote-sellers face imprisonment of up to six years and perpetually disqualified from holding public office.
Secretary Remulla, a lawyer like Chairman Garcia, said DOJ prosecutors nationwide will be on duty on election day, October 30, to accept complaints.
On that day, “fiscals will be available for the cases that may be filed.” said Remulla during the signing of the memorandum of agreement at the DOJ office in Manila.
The public is made to believe that measures, such as warrantless arrest of persons involved in vote-buying and “red flags,” are sufficient to address the problem.
But in the view of many sectors, what is important is the readiness of the public to help the authorities in going after violators of our election laws, rules and regulations.
