The Comelec head office at the Palace del Gobernador in Intramuros, Manila. (File photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has endorsed the issue of increased mobile phone sales allegedly induced by massive vote-buying to the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Commission on Elections (Comelec) acting spokesperson, Atty. John Rex Laudiangco, said Thursday that the PNP’s involvement in the investigation is separate from the effort of the National Telecommunications Communication (NTC) as well as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to get to the bottom of the matter.
“Also, for the last [Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns] meeting, we have likewise endorsed to the PNP ‘yung (the) issue po ng (of) escalation ng (on) purchases ng (of) mobile phones sa (in) Surigao del Sur at sa (and in) Agusan del Sur,” Laudiangco said in a press briefing.
“So, not only is the NTC looking on it, but also the [Armed Forces of the Philippines] and the PNP,” he added.
READ: Spike in mobile phone sales due to vote-buying? Comelec awaits NTC report
Famous phone brands were reportedly sold out in three shopping malls in Agusan del Sur after the May 9 national and local elections.
READ: ‘Vote-buying’ spree drives mobile phone sales
To date, the Comelec’s Task Force Kontra Bigay (Against Vote Buying) has received and responded to 933 reports on their Facebook account, said Laudiangco.
The task force’s email, meanwhile, got 167 complaints but only 88 were valid. Of the valid reports, 49 submitted evidence.
The Comelec’s law department has received 73 reports, wherein 50 have already been acted upon.