Poll bribery, vote-buying

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

This early, reports reveal prevalence of influence-peddling, bribery and vote-buying in many parts of this Banana Republic as the May elections near.

If reports are to be believed, crowds are being shuttled from one place to another to project a large mass base by some aspirants whose qualifications and integrity, we can’t exactly say, match the offices they are aspiring for.

Our perennially drunk neighborhood philosopher says it is open season once again for crooked aspirants with the proverbial guns, goons and gold – those who have lorded it in some places and raked in public money from such entitlements like pork barrel.

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Take a look at the front page of this paper and you may deduce why some officials and helpless civilians like those in Abra are getting killed – or why some officials are suddenly being assigned in places where their kin are running for public office.

In the Cordillera, unlike the lowlands like Ilocos and Cagayan Valley or Central Luzon regions, at least we can say that except for Abra, over the years, elections have generally been peaceful and no killings related to politics have taken place.  

Cordillera political aspirants have been generally known to play fair and square like those in Benguet, Mountain Province and Ifugao.  

There have been no election-related killings that took place in these areas including Baguio City over the years. In the summer capital, hostilities have only been confined to politicians talking on the sly against each other.

In Mountain Province, top political aspirants a few days ago stood on one platform at the Mountain Province Polytechnic College in the capital town of Bontoc explaining their programs and signing an agreement for clean and peaceful elections.

We can’t say politicians play fair and square in other parts of the country like the lowlands where they have fielded their minions to get the needed votes through fear, intimidation and vote-buying.

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This, as the Commission on Elections on Tuesday urged Filipino voters to say ‘no’ to bribes or vote-buying attempts this May midterm election.

But then, this had become some sort of an accepted practice particularly in remote areas where the marginalized take the money to assuage their hunger for the next meals.

Comelec Spokesperson Director James Jimenez said buying and selling votes are election offenses that have corresponding penalties under the law.

“It’s an election offense. You can be jailed. You can be fined and you can be disqualified from holding public office. Both the buyer and the seller,” Jimenez said in a press briefing.

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Jimenez issued the warning following Philippine National Police chief General Oscar Albayalde’s advice to voters to accept the money offered by politicians but still vote for the right candidates aspiring for public office.

“Kung hindi po mabantayan ng pulisya ang vote-buying, tanggapin na lang siguro natin ng tanggapin yung pera, pero iboto pa rin natin ang nararapat,” Albayalde told reporters on Tuesday when asked about their measures to prevent vote-buying this election.  

“I think the best thing here is voters’ education, malaman ng mga tao kung sino ang dapat iboto hindi yung kung sino ang nagbigay ng mas malaking pera sa kanila yun ang iboboto nila,” he added, admitting that vote-buying is one of the hardest challenges that law enforcers will have to deal with this election.

Although the PNP has already clarified Albayalde’s remark as a statement made “in jest,” Jimenez said voters should shun bribes and vote according to their conscience.

“Comelec has always said do not take the money at all. You start to believe that under certain conditions okay lang to do the wrong thing and that’s not something that we want to encourage among voters,” he said.

“With all due respect to everyone saying differently, we believe that you should just say no to the bribe to the vote buying attempt and just vote according to your conscience,” he added.

“Huwag ka ng humingi ng tulong kapag nanalo na ang kandidato kasi bayad ka na and that is the sad and very rude awakening that is in store for everyone who sells their votes. When you sell your vote now for P500, for P5,000 even P10,000 to P15,000, remember that is all you got to get for the next years,” Jimenez warned.

Although vote-buying and selling are rampant, Comelec admits difficulty in monitoring violators.

The poll body also called on the public anew to report to their office any case of vote buying, election-related wrongdoings, and other problems observed among communities. 

On election day, vote for candidates you believe who have the right qualification, capability and integrity to hold public office, not the swapangs, our neighborhood philosopher says.

Otherwise, he adds, you deserve what you vote for – those who will stay in office for the next three years.