158 cases of vote buying, vote selling, abuse of gov’t resources filed – DILG

Voters flock to a polling center in Quezon City on Monday, Oct. 28, 2013. (File photos from JULLIANE LOVE DE JESUS / INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines — At least 158 complaints have been lodged during this campaign season against election candidates for vote buying, vote selling and abuse of government funds and assets.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) gave this number in a press conference at its headquarters in Quezon City on Friday.

“Nai-report na (it was already reported that) there are 158 complaints for vote buying, vote selling or abuse of state resources that are lodged already with the Committee on Kontra Bigay with the Comelec (Commission on Elections),” DILG Assistant Secretary for Local Government Jesi Howard Lanete said.

On January 28, Comelec Resolution 11104 introduced stricter mechanisms to combat vote buying, vote selling and acts constituting abuse of state resources.

READ: Comelec vows strict measures to combat vote-buying, selling, abuse

“Ngayon, ipapaalala lang natin sa ating mga kandidato to strictly comply with the Comelec provisions against vote buying, and sa ating incumbent candidates to prevent abuse of state resources,” Lanete said.

(Today, we want to remind our candidates to strictly comply with the Comelec provisions against vote buying, and for our incumbent candidates to prevent the abuse of state resources.)

“Nais din namin ipa-remind din sa ating mga kandidato na there are only 17 days to go before the national and local elections, and it is the wish of the department na yung ating halalan ay maging safe, peaceful and successful para sa lahat,” he added.

(We also want to remind our candidates that there are only 17 days to go before the national and local elections, and it is the wish of the department that our elections will be safe, peaceful and successful for all.)