Comelec acting spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) task force against vote-buying has endorsed to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) a report about suspicious bank withdrawals during the election period.
In a press briefing on Thursday, Comelec acting spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco was asked if they have received a report from AMLC or the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on the use of electronic wallets for vote-buying.
“As to report coming from them, wala pa… Kami po ay nag-endorse sa AMLC. Kasi po mayroon pong liham na ipinarating sa amin ‘yung isang abogado regarding what they called suspicious withdrawals sa isang bangko and that’s the one that we endorsed to them,” Laudiangco shared.
(As for reports coming from them, none… We endorsed a report to AMLC. A lawyer sent us a letter regarding what they called suspicious withdrawals in a bank and that’s the one that we endorsed to them.)
“Nai-endorse na po ng Task Force Kontra Bigay sa Anti-Money Laundering Council po itong bagay na ito and we will await the report of the AMLC,” he continued.
(The Task Force Kontra Bigay already endorsed this matter to the Anti-Money Laundering Council and we will await the report of the AMLC.)
READ: Watch out for digital vote-buying, AMLC tells banks
When asked if the incident involves a national candidate, the spokesman said he does not have the information.
“I do not have yet the information kasi nga po (because) upon complaint to us, it was immediately endorsed to AMLC,” he said.
According to Laudiangco, the Task Force Kontra Bigay has received and responded to 933 reports on their Facebook account.
The task force likewise got 88 valid reports from the 167 complaints it got via Comelec’s e-mail.
The Comelec law department, meanwhile, received 73 vote-buying reports, of which only 12 have been verified and lodged before the office.
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