DILG Secretary Eduardo Año (INQUIRER file photo)
MANILA, Philippines — From alleged vote buying and use of government resources for campaigns, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año hopes the Commission on Election (Comelec) resolves complaints on election offenses before May 9.
“Gusto natin sana bago mag May 9, mailabas yung mga resolution ng mga kaso na ‘yan, kung madisqualify ba? Hangga’t maaga, malaman na kaagad ng publiko,” Año said in a Teleradyo interview on Friday.
(We hope that before May 9, the cases will already be resolved, will those involved be disqualified? As early as possible, the public should be aware of it.)
Año said the DILG has referred to Comelec “many” complaints regarding alleged vote buying incidents as well as the purported use of government resources in campaigning, which he noted is prohibited under the Omnibus Election Code.
“Minsan nahihirapan i-discern yan, halimbawa, yung mayor, yung official service gagamitin for a political campaign. Pero ang talagang malinaw na pagka yung pinanghahakot ng a-attend ng rally, bawal na bawal talaga ‘yan,” the DILG chief said.
(It’s sometimes difficult to discern, for example, a mayor uses an official service for a political campaign. But what is clear is that if resources are used to gather rally attendees, that’s really prohibited.)
“Ang ginagawa natin, tinutulungan yung mga complainant. Marami na tayong nai-refer sa Comelec, iba’t ibang mga offenses, pati yung alleged vote buying, kasama yung paggamit ng mga resources,” he added.
(What we are doing is we help complainants. We have referred many complaints to the Comelec, different offenses, including alleged vote buying and the use of government resources.)
Año stressed the importance of immediately reporting such incidents and accompanying complaints with evidence for a quick resolution of the case.