TWO DECADES AGO: Sen. Grace Poe, after two decades, revisits the event that transpired on May 10, 2004, when her late father Fernando Poe Jr. ran for president but lost to then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in a controversial result and an alleged electoral fraud. During Wednesday’s plenary session, May 8, 2024, Poe delivered a privilege speech and showed a film presentation that detailed the events that unfolded 20 years ago. (Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Grace Poe has filed a bill seeking to purge vote buying, specifically buying and selling of votes electronically.
Poe’s Senate Bill No. 2664 was filed on Wednesday ahead of the 2025 midterm polls and in time for the 20th anniversary of the “Hello Garci” scandal.
READ: WHAT WENT BEFORE: ‘Hello Garci scandal’ investigation
To recall, the scandal involved a series of recorded phone calls between then presidential candidate Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and then-election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano allegedly talking about the additional votes to favor the 2004 national election results.
It later on erupted as one of the biggest electoral crises in the Philippines.
Arroyo was sworn as the 14th President of the Philippines, winning against then presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. — the senator’s father.
According to Poe, vote-buying remains unchanged despite evolution of the country’s electoral system. This prompted her to file a bill defining the offense of vote-buying, seeking the penalty of imprisonment of not less than six years but not more than 10 years.
“Alongside [the] digital shift is the penetration and proliferation of cybercriminals in vote-buying and vote-selling schemes through money mules. These money mules use electronic money transfer methods to facilitate vote-buying and vote-selling,” Poe’s bill reads.
“Unlike traditional vote-buying where the candidates physically give out money, it is a challenge to detect the source of these digital schemes,” it adds.
READ: Grace Poe revives ‘Hello Garci’ scandal in speech at Senate
Citing “limitations of existing law,” Poe’s bill introduces an amendment to the definition of vote-buying under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code to include criminal developments exploiting the use of technology and computer devices, software, and applications in the electoral processes.
“The penalty to be imposed shall be imprisonment of not less than six years but not more than ten years and shall not be subject to probation,” said Poe.