ILOILO City – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has intensified efforts to combat digital vote buying in the lead-up to the May 12 midterm elections, with the help of major mobile wallet providers and financial institutions.
“We are watching.” This stern warning came from Comelec Region 6 director Atty. Dennis Ausan, who disclosed that digital vote buying methods, which use popular mobile wallets such as GCash, PayMaya, and online banking, have made it more challenging to detect illicit transactions.
“The traditional cash handouts we used to associate with vote buying are no longer the only method. Today, transactions can be done with just a few taps on a smartphone,” Ausan said. “This makes detection more difficult and the operations more sophisticated.”
In response, the Commission has expanded its anti-vote buying task force, Kontra Bigay, into a multi-agency coalition. The task force now includes:
* Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) – for tracing suspicious fund movements
* Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) – for regulatory oversight
* Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) – for technical assistance and cybersecurity support
* GCash and PayMaya – for monitoring and restricting election-related fund flows on their platforms
A key milestone in this initiative is the memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed between Comelec and the mobile wallet providers, allowing for real-time monitoring and transaction restrictions during the election period.
“Come election day — or even days before — we will enforce temporary restrictions on the movement of funds within these platforms. There’s a proposed cap on digital wallet transactions, possibly limited to a small amount to prevent large-scale vote buying,” Ausan said. “We’re talking about thresholds around P50,000 or less, depending on the agreement.”
This partnership represents a historic move in Philippine elections, where fintech providers have formally committed to assisting the government in monitoring and flagging suspicious financial activity related to electoral fraud.
However, Ausan acknowledged that digital vote buying remains a persistent challenge.
“Make no mistake, this is still one of the most difficult problems we face,” he said. “But it’s not a problem the Comelec can solve on its own. Vote buying — whether done in cash or digitally — is a symptom of a deeper issue in our society.”
He explained that the continued prevalence of vote buying is tied to broader socioeconomic issues such as poverty, systemic inequality, and a cultural tolerance of the practice.
“This is no longer just a legal or electoral issue. It’s a reflection of our collective values. That’s why every Filipino — voters, candidates, civil society, media, even tech companies — must play a role in addressing it,” Ausan said.
As the 2025 midterm elections approach, Comelec is urging public vigilance in addition to regulatory measures. The Commission calls on citizens to report any suspicious activity, particularly regarding the use of digital platforms for vote buying.
“The public must understand that digital vote buying is still illegal, still unethical, and still a threat to our democracy,” Ausan emphasized. “The platforms may be new, but the crime is the same. And we’re watching.”/PN
