Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner George Erwin Garcia is hoping that more cases will be filed regarding election offenses and that complaints will not just stay on social media and will formally be addressed.
He made the statement during a press briefing on Wednesday, April 6, after the filing of two vote buying cases before the Commission recently.
"Nagpapasalamat tayo dahil may mga nagfifile na ng mga kaso. At least nagfifile ng mga kaso, may mga nakaattach na mga ebidensya. Makikita natin yung ebidensiya, masasagot yung mga ebidensiya and therefore nabibigyan ng due process kahit yung respondent (We are thankful because people are filing cases. At least they are filing cases with evidence attached. We can examine the evidence, it can be answered and therefore due process is given even to the respondent)," Garcia said.
"Sana nga (I hope), despite the fact na respondent sila (they are respondents) we afford the respondent or respondents in the future, yung (the) opportunity to be heard, yung (the) due process and the presumption of innocence," he added.
On Tuesday, April 5, Koalisyong Novalenyo Kontra Korapsyon and Alyansa ng mga Mamamayan ng Bagbag filed a joint complaint-affidavit against 17 respondents led by Rose Nono Lin who is gunning for a congressional seat in Quezon City's 5th district for 237 counts of vote buying.
Garcia is still confirming the details regarding the other vote buying case failed. He explained that as far as these cases are concerned na they will undergo the same process of preliminary investigation.
"Immediately the law department will be issuing the subpoena requiring the respondent to file the necessary counter-affidavit during a particular period of time," he said.
He added that after the counter-affidavit has been filed, the complainant may either file a rejoinder and after which the case will be deemed submitted for resolution.
Garcia clarified that what was filed was merely an election offense and not a disqualification case.
The Comelec has already formed a task force called "Kontra Bigay" headed by Commissioner Aimee Ferolino which will focus on vote buying and selling.
It will be composed of the Comelec, Department of Justice (DOJ), Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).