MANILA, Philippines?It?s OK 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 presidential election. 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 the 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.

Sarmiento said over the weekend that those who liked to bet on the chances of a particular candidate could find themselves losers in the end.

?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 are such inveterate gamblers 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 passing by will eyeball and flash a smile on.