MANILA – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is calling for the reactivation of the Task Force Kontra Bigay (TFKB) which aims to address reports of vote-buying.
In a Laging Handa briefing Monday, DILG undersecretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said vote buying during the election season is one of the biggest blows in Philippine democracy.
Malaya said the Task Force Kontra Bigay was first activated during the 2019 midterm elections but implemented only at the provincial level.
For the 2022 national and local elections, the department is proposing the task force's activation down to the municipal level.
“Ngayong 2022 inaasahan ng DILG na kaagad agad ay maaprubahan na ng Comelec 'yung resolution reconstituting and reactivating the Task Force Kontra Bigay sa tingin ko naging matagumpay ito dahil meron tayong (This year, the DILG expects that the Comelec will immediately approve the resolution reconstituting and reactivating the Task Force Kontra Bigay. I think it has been successful because we arrested) 356 violators who were accosted by the dedicated anti vote buying teams of the PNP at meron tayong PHP12 million vote buying money that was confiscated which served as evidence,” Malaya said.
He said the agency would verify the status of the cases filed against persons who were accosted for being involved in election vote-buying activities during the 2019 elections.
The inter-agency TFKB is composed of the Comelec, Department of Justice, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, DILG, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, and Armed Forces of the Philippines.
In a meeting with the Comelec, Malaya said they were informed that the resolution would be passed on Wednesday and a subsequent meeting with the task force members will follow after the Holy week.
“I hope we can also focus on the prosecution of these people so that our countrymen can see that we are serious in our steps to prevent or at least reduce vote buying in our country,” he added.
Vote buying and vote selling are prohibited under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code.
In a statement, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año issued a warning to election candidates against vote buying and encouraged the public to submit complete sets of evidence that will point to the perpetrators of the illegal act.
"The authorities should also tighten their vigilance on any kind of vote buying and most importantly, when our concerned citizens send reports, they will hopefully be complete details," Año said.
"Kasama tayo sa TFKB at titiyakin natin na maisasagawa ang mandato nito. Wala tayong pipiliin kahit sinong kandidato ito (We are with the TFKB and we will make sure that its mandate is carried out. We will not choose any candidate), we will go after them," he added. (PNA)
