Brillantes slams critics, defends ‘money ban’

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. defended the “money ban” saying that they have studied it two months ago before it was officially released Tuesday.

“[Critics] are commenting after just reading the resolution once, we have been discussing this two months ago, everything they are thinking of has been brought up in our discussions,” Brillantes told reporters in an ambush interview at the Supreme Court.

“How can they say it’s crazy if they just read it today or yesterday; we have studied it for two months,” he said.

Comelec resolution 9688 calls for a prohibition on cash withdrawals of more than P100,000 starting May 8 up to Election Day on May 13 in order to curb vote buying.

Brillantes said that, historically, there is an increase of cash flow days before election because of the rampant vote buying.

The resolution also prohibits “possession, carrying and transportation of more than P500,000 in cash,” as this could be presumed to be for vote buying.

Various sectors including the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) however reacted to the money ban saying it would disrupt businesses.

Brillantes said that the BSP had sent a formal letter to the Comelec “advising that if possible [Comelec to] not implement [the money ban].”

“I don’t think we should take their advice, we are supposed to be an independent commission,” he said.

“If they don’t want to implement it the banks are still prohibited from allowing withdrawals over P100,000,” Brillantes added.

He however clarified that he and all the commissioners are continuously discussing the money ban.

“We are still studying whether we should recall it, or we should amend it, or we should supplement it, or we will simply retain it,” Brillantes said.

“We can have a clarificatory [resolution because] we are seeing the reactions,” he said.