Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III (Photo by JOSEPH VIDAL / Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) should strictly enforce the law against vote-buying, Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said on Sunday.
Pimentel said that he had received reports from citizens regarding vote-buying for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.
“The law is clear: This practice is illegal and candidates involved can lose their status as candidates, or if elected, lose their positions. Both COMELEC and PNP must not shirk from enforcing the law even on the most powerful of individuals,” Pimentel said in a statement.
The senator also urged the voters not to sell their votes and immediately report any incidents of vote-buying to the Comelec.
“This election is one step towards Change. If we unite and say, in our words and actions, that we will not tolerate this atrocious practice of exchanging votes for money, we would have taken one big step towards a better future for the Philippines,” he said.
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez earlier said that campaign rules violators deserve to lose.
“Kahit kakampi mo ‘yan, kahit pinsan mo ‘yan, kahit kapatid mo ang tumatakbo, ikaw mismo magsabi sa kanya mali ‘yan, huwag ganyan,” Jimenez said.
(Even though they’re on your team, even though it’s your cousin, even though it’s your sibling running, you tell them that it’s wrong; don’t do it.)
“Kung hindi makinig, sana matalo ka. Sana ang manalo, ang marunong gumalang sa batas,” he said.
(If you don’t listen, I hope you lose. I hope those who win are those who know how to respect the law.)
READ: Comelec spox to campaign rule violators: ‘I hope you lose’
The Barangay and SK election is set to happen on Monday, May 14. /je