DILG seeks to reactivate task force against vote buying

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MANILA – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is appealing to reactivate the Task Force Kontra Bigay (TFKB) in order to address claims of vote-buying.

DILG undersecretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said in a Laging Handa briefing on Monday that vote buying during the election season is one of the biggest blows in Philippine democracy.

The Task Force Kontra Bigay was first activated during the 2019 midterm elections but implemented only at the provincial level, Malaya said.

The department is proposing the task force’s activation down to the municipal level for the 2022 national and local elections.

“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.

The agency, he said, 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.

Malaya stated during a meeting with the Comelec that they were assured that the resolution would be passed on Wednesday and that a subsequent meeting with task force members would take place following 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.

Under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code, vote buying and vote selling are prohibited.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año issued a statement warning election candidates against vote buying and urging the public to submit complete sets of evidence pointing 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.