Vice President and presidential aspirant Leni Robredo has no problem with voters accepting money from politicians during the campaign season, but she urged them to vote according to their conscience.
“Parati kong sinasabi tanggapin nyo kasi galing din naman ‘yan sa atin. Yung pinambibili ng boto, pera din ‘yan ng taumbayan. Tatanggapin mo pero ang iboboto mo kung sino ‘yung nasa konsensya mo (I always say to accept it because that comes from us. The money they use to buy your vote, that’s people’s money, too. Accept it, but vote who is in your conscience),” she said during a virtual meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 26, with members of Kasambahay for Leni.
“Wag kang boboto dahil pakiramdam mo meron kang utang na loob kasi tinanggap mo, di ba? Iyong sa akin, tanggapin ang pera pero iboto sa konsensya (Don’t vote because you feel that you owe him because you accepted, right? For me, accept the money but vote according to conscience),”she added.
The Vice President noted it’s impossible that politicians will buy votes using their own money.
“Iyon po ‘yung itaga nyo sa bato. May pinanggalingan ‘yun na hindi tama (That’s set in stone. That came from something that’s not right),” she said.
READ: Comelec to voters: Don't sell your vote
This will also help end the culture of vote-buying and vote-selling in the Philippines.
Robredo said that when the candidates see that they lost the elections despite trying to buy votes, they will not do the same strategy again.
She admitted that it’s easier now to buy votes because of the electronic payment system, but she assured her audience that no one will know who they voted for.
“Kasi iyon ‘yung pantakot nila. Iyong pantakot nila malalaman ko ano ‘yung boto mo (Because that’s the fear they want to instill. They scare you into thinking that they will know who you voted for),” Robredo said.
READ: Poll official issues warning to those planning to do vote buying via e-payment system
Since announcing her candidacy for president, she has been busy meeting with various sectoral groups, including doctors, labor leaders, urban poor, and LGBTQIA+, among others.