Comelec on candidates with vote buying raps: 'We can suspend the proclamation'
By Dhel Nazario
If a disqualification case based on vote buying was filed against a candidate before the proclamation, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) can suspend the proclamation, an official said on Thursday, March 31.

Commissioner George Irwin Garcia said during a press briefing on Thursday, March 31, that they can disallow a candidate from being proclaimed. He made
In the event that the candidate has already been proclaimed and is already serving as an elected official, Garcia said that they can still annul his or her proclamation.
"The rules on succession can now be effective," he said.
He made the statement to erase doubts that it may already be "too late" if a candidate already gets proclaimed. As far as vote buying is concerned, Garcia stated that the poll body has all the resources, powers and jurisdiction to implement policies.
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).
Garcia assured that the task force will handle the matter seriously and that "everybody will be an example" should they commit violations which has a penalty of one to six years of imprisonment.