BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Baguio solicits cooperation in the implementation of the money ban during the election period from August 28 to November 29, 2023.
COMELEC-Baguio Election Officer Atty. John Paul Martin said that aside from COMELEC checkpoints, all police authorities will be tasked to conduct money ban checkpoints or monitor the transportation or delivery of large sums of money. This is under the Kontra Bigay initiative of the Commission to combat vote-buying.
“Haan laeng a paltog ti kitkitaen da iti checkpoint, kitaen da pay nu adda ti sako-sako ti kwarta iti uneg ti lugan mo. Kayat na a sawen, haan mo nga dapat nga ig-iggeman ti 500,000 pesos pangato, iti public places during the entire election period. Apay? Kasi baka usarem dayta iti vote buying (They will not only be checking guns at the checkpoint; they will also check if you large amount of money inside your vehicle. You are not supposed to be carrying P500,000 pesos or more in public places during the entire election period. Why? You might use it for vote-buying),” Martin elaborated.
He said the COMELEC has coordinated with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to monitor cases of persons withdrawing big sums of money and requesting for it in smaller denominations.
COMELEC-Baguio Election Officer Atty. John Paul Martin gave updates on the 2023 BSKE during the Usapang PIA with Kap Peter Wasing on Thursday, 24 August 2023.
“Naki-coordinate ti COMELEC iti Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas a nu kaspangarigan nag-withdraw ka iti more than P100,000 tapos imbagam nga tig-sisingkwenta, tig-bibiente, tig-sasangagasut in denomination, red flag ka, baka usarem dagitoy iti vote buying (The COMELEC coordinated with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas that if you withdraw more than P100,000, then you request that it be P50, P20, or P100 in denomination; you are under red flag; you may use it in vote-buying),” he explained.
He said that exempted here are businessmen, disbursement officers, cashiers, collectors, among others.
Martin mentioned that COMELEC lawyers will also undergo trainings on the conduct of inquest proceedings for faster resolution of cases involving vote-buying.
The COMELEC will pilot the Kontra Bigay Committee this 2023 BSKE. It comes with a complaint center which is expected to operate from August 28 to October 28 from 8:00AM to 5:00PM, and 24/7 on October 29 to 31.
If it goes well, it will be fully implemented during the May 2025 National and Local Elections, said Martin. **JDP/DEG-PIA CAR
