MANILA, Philippines — Bago maparusahan para sa "vote-buying" ang mga namimigay ng pera tuwing election-related events, kailangan munang mapatunayang ginagawa ito specifically para mamili ng boto, ayon sa Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Ika-22 ng Marso, 2022 lang kasi nang maaktuhan si Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla na namumudmod ng libu-libong papremyo bago magsimula ang rally para kina 2022 presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. sa Dasmariñas — bagay na umani ng batikos. Marami pang ganitong kahalintulad na pangyayari nitong mga nagdaang araw gaya ng pamimigay ng ayuda.
Related Stories
"Nakita natin money was being given out, but we don't know what for. We can say that it's obvious but we have to prove it [vote-buying]," ani Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez, Biyernes, sa panayam ng ANC.
"Because kung mag-i-impose ka ng penalty, you have to be able to show na may criminal element present talaga. Hindi [ka] pwedeng mag-jump into conclusions."
Ayon sa Omnibus Election Code, tumutukoy ang "vote-buying" sa:
Any person who gives, offers or promises money or anything of value, gives or promises any office or employment, franchise or grant, public or private, or makes or offers to make an expenditure, directly or indirectly, or cause an expenditure to be made to any person, association, corporation, entity, or community in order to induce anyone or the public in general to vote for or against any candidate or withhold his vote in the election, or to vote for or against any aspirant for the nomination or choice of a candidate in a convention or similar selection process of a political party.
Sinumang mapatutunayang nagkasala sa anumang election offense ay parurusahan ng hanggang anim na taong pagkakakulong. Wala itong probation at parurusahan din ng disqualification mula sa paghawak ng public office. Tatanggalan din sila ng karapatang bumoto.
Idiniin ng tagapagsalita ng poll body ang halaga ang pagsasampa ng pormal na kaso ng complainants sa mga vote-buying cases, lalo na kung may personal na kaalaman sa pagbili ng boto.
"If that happens, you have an accusation, [they] have a denial, how do you choose? Then you have to investigate because you have to discover who's telling the truth... presumption of innocence," dagdag pa ni Jimenez kanina.
"Kaya mahalaga na may complainant, kasi wala naman ang Comelec doon [sa events]. But [if] there is a complainant there, the Comelec will say, 'Let me hear your complaint and then we'll decide on who's telling the truth.'"
Mga teknikalidad sa isyu
Una nang sinabi ni Remulla na hindi vote-buying ang kanyang ginawa dahil wala pang March 25 (official campaign season ng local candidates) nang mamigay siya nang pera at wala pa sina Marcos nang mangyari ito.
Gayunpaman, iginigiit ng election lawyer na si Emil Marañon III, na abogado ng presidential candidate at Bise Presidente Leni Robredo, na pwedeng pamimili ito ng boto kung para ito sa kandidatura ng national candidates gaya nina Marcos lalo na't Pebrero pa lang ay campaign season na nila.
Sa ilalim ng batas, pwedeng mamili ng boto kahit hindi kandidato.
"Posibleng magkaroon ng posibleng vote-buying diyan [kung similar ng nangyari kay Remulla]... But understand that vote-buying means namigay ka ng pera para sa kapalit na boto... Kailangan mong patunayan na 'yung pamimigay mo ng pera ay kapalit ng boto," patuloy pa ni Jimenez.
"It's not just the giving of money per se is the problem. It's the giving of money for a specific purpose."
Dati nang sinabi ng Comelec na ipinagbabawal kahit ang pagpa-paraffle ng papremyo ng mga kumakandidato sa eleksyon, bagay na maaaring ikakulong.