BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) in Negros Occidental is backing a proposal of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to set up a task force against vote buying.
Reverend Father Chris Gonzales, who also heads the Diocese of Bacolod’s Social Action Center, said the Comelec proposal would help ensure clean and honest elections.
He described vote buying as “the work of the devil” and urged the public to treat their votes as “sacred”.
Gonzales also urged the public to treat their votes seriously, as the future of the country depends on it.
PPCRV is a non-partisan, non-sectarian, non-profit organization affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines.
It is responsible for poll education campaign and serves as and watchdog against all types of electoral fraud.
“We will not hesitate to prosecute those who may be involved in vote-buying. We are so serious that for this election it is necessary to equalize everything. We will punish those who will be violating the Omnibus Election Code,” said Commissioner George Erwin Garcia in a press conference recently.
The Commission will be creating a taskforce that will handle complaints, he said.
“Definitely, the Comelec can motu proprio investigate. Comelec can always direct its field personnel to submit a report to us,” said Garcia.
He added: “Definitely, regardless of the personalities involved, so long as there is substantial evidence, substantial in character, we will push through with the prosecution of offenders of those who will be guilty of vote-buying.” (With a report from the Philippine News Agency/PN)
