MANILA, Philippines — More incidents of vote-buying could occur as voting continues on Monday, election day, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said.
“We expect na hanggang matapos yung pagboboto mamaya ay meron pa rin ‘yan,” Albayalde said in a press briefing in Camp Crame in Quezon City on Monday.
He explained that some vote-buying incidents could occur after voting when Filipino voters could show proof of the candidates they voted for.
“Kasi meron dyan na before you vote, or after you vote. Pwede kasi ‘yun na bayaran is after. Pwedeng mabayaran ka after you vote, after probably showing evidence na binoto mo ‘yung nagpapaboto,” the PNP chief said.
Latest data from the PNP show that a total of 302 Filipinos were reported to have been involved in 120 vote-buying incidents.
The bulk of violators was recorded in the National Capital Region (NCR) with a total of 155 violators, the PNP said.
This was followed by Central Luzon and Calabarzon with 31 recorded violators each.
Albayalde, however, said that the PNP does not have data yet on the number of vote-buying incidents back in the 2016 presidential elections, and they have yet to verify such data.
“Ngayon lang binibilang talaga ‘yung vote-buying incidents na ‘yan kasi before there are only isolated reports of vote-buying,” he explained.
The PNP chief noted that one of the possible factors in the various reports on vote-buying this midterm elections is that Filipino voters have learned to report such violation.
“Ngayon, I think one of the factors there, ‘yung mga taumbayan, ‘yung mga kababayan natin, talagang nirereport na yung vote-buying ngayon,” he said.
“Noon kasi parang nato-tolerate; ngayon, one factor probably yung natuto na yung kababayan natin na i-report yung mga alleged vote-buying,” Albayalde added.
Albayalde said the PNP has received “massive” reports of vote-buying as voting started on Monday. (Editor: Julie Espinosa)
READ: Albayalde: ‘Massive’ vote buying reported across Philippines