The Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) have signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) to work together to stop vote buying and vote selling during the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) and future elections.
The MoA will combine the resources and legal authorities of the two agencies in prosecuting vote buyers and sellers. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that the goal is to ensure that those who violate election laws face the consequences.
Remulla also said that prosecutors nationwide will be available to accept complaints against election offenders starting with the BSKE on October 30.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said that the MoA will strengthen the Comelec’s war against vote buying and selling and set the tone for the upcoming BSKE and future elections. He added that the only way to stop vote buying and selling is to prosecute offenders with firmness.
Garcia said that vote buying is usually done 10 days before and on the day of the elections, and that the Comelec is preparing for that.
BSKE campaigning will run from October 19 to 28
Source: PhilNews24 | September 27, 2023
