MANILA, Philippines -- It?s okay to root for Noynoy, or Manny, or Erap or Gibo, but just don?t bet on any one of them winning in the May 10 elections. It could land you in jail.

Election Commissioner Rene Sarmiento has warned that gambling on the outcome of the balloting is prohibited under the law.

Article 22, Section 261 (c) of the Omnibus Election Code states that ?wagering upon result of an election? is an offense punishable by one to six years imprisonment, disqualification from public office and deprivation of the right to vote.

?Any money or thing of value or deposit of money or thing of value situated anywhere in the Philippines put as such bet or wager shall be forfeited to the government,? the law says.

?To those who like placing bets, don?t gamble, don?t bet on candidate X, because if it is proven that you are at fault, you will be punished,? he told reporters.

The bet does not have to involve money to be considered an offense. As long it involves anything of value, it would be a prohibited act.

Sarmiento said that for a bettor to be punished by the Commission on Elections, a complaint must be filed.

Betting on the outcome of races is nothing new. One need not be a high-roller to indulge in a game of odds.

Filipinos love to bet and they will bet on any possible outcomes under the sun?like which coin a fly will land on, or who among a group of boys a girl will flash a smile on.