INTRAMUROS, Manila — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) expects vote-buying to become rampant during the campaign period as aspirants for elective positions vie for support from the voters and the electorate.

According to media reports, this practice is also seen to become more personal as vote-buyers are already aware that payment platforms are already being monitored for election-related activities.
"Ini-expect natin sa darating na eleksyon na magiging talamak (ito)," Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia enthused.

"Kung ikaw (ay) nagpadala sa dalawampung tao mahigit sa isang araw sa isang transaksyon, presume(d) namin na engaged (iyan) sa vote-buying," he added.

However, based on studies conducted by OCTA Research, most Filipinos do not actually sell their votes and only the poor voters whom politicians often take advantage of.

OCTA founding president Ranjit Singh Rye explained that there are many types of vote buying and it includes doing the transaction in cash or in kind.

"It is usually done in the last days before the election (and voters), instead of thinking long term and thinking of big things like democracy citizenship and leadership, they look at the short term (as) a chance for (them) to eat," Rye pointed out.

He added that in many occasions, the votes of the whole family are bought.

"There's a package given to the whole family to vote or not to vote, certain communities or barangays that are not favorable to local politicians will either prevent them from voting or encourage them to vote," he cited.

Meanwhile, the Comelec reminded voters that in selling their vote, the integrity of the election loses its value as an opportunity for the people to elect those they believe would be good leaders for the country.

Still, in order to fight this trend, a memorandum of agreement has been signed between the Comelec and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to guard not only vote buying but other violations of existing election rules stipulated in Omnibus Election Code.