Commission on Elections chairperson George Garcia explains a point during a press briefing in this file picture taken in 2022. (INQUIRER file photo / RICHARD A. REYES)
MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday launched a task force against vote-buying and vote-selling in the 2023 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
It calls the group “Committee on KontraBigay.”
It is an inter-agency task force composed of oficials from Department of Justice, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Education, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, among others.
The committee will receive complaints, prepare reports and hold investigations to penalize candidates suspected of committing election fraud.
“Mismo ang committee ng KontraBigay ang magfa-file ng kaso ng disqualification at kasong kriminal, election offense, laban sa mga mahuhuli,” Comelec chairperson George Garcia warned.
(The Committee on KontraBigay will directly file disqualification cases and criminal cases, election offense, against those who will be caught.)
Garcia is reminding candidates to obey election laws to avoid facing disqualification cases and criminal prosecution.
“Yon po ang babala natin sa lahat. Napakahirap po ng may kaso na disqualification, tapos may kasong kriminal ka pa,” he said.
(That is our warning to all. It is so difficult to have a disqualification, then you still have a criminal case.)
“Sapagkat kapag na-file-lan namin kayo ng kaso sa mga korte, mawa-warrant of arrest kayo. At kapag na-convict kayo, you cannot be pardoned without the consent of the Commission on Elections,” he explained.
(Because once we have filed a case against you in court, you’ll have a warrant of arrest. And once you are convicted, you cannot be pardoned without the consent of the Commission on Elections.)
“Yan po ang maliwanag na maliwanag na nakalagay sa ating batas,” he added.
(That is very, very clearly stated in our law.)
The election period for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan started on August 28.
It will last until November 29.
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