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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Warrantless, citizen's arrest to counter vote buying? Comelec says it's an option

Warrantless, citizen's arrest to counter vote buying? Comelec says it's an option

Published Aug 15, 2023 11:28 am

While the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is not encouraging the public to conduct a warrantless arrest or citizen's arrest when they encounter acts of vote buying, the poll body said that it remains an option under the law.

BSKE
(Noel Pabalate/MB file photo)

During a press conference on Tuesday, Aug. 15, after signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia explained that a warrantless arrest can be made if a crime is being committed "in flagrante delicto" or caught in the act.

"Vote buying is a crime, and therefore anybody can be arrested especially if he is about or he is committing the act of vote buying," he said. 

"Di pwedeng ang Comelec po kasi ay nakaupo lang at walang gagawin. (Comelec just cannot sit and do nothing)  If we can do something, why can't we not? Then let them question before the courts...ang importante we have done something to prevent this irregularity, to prevent this cancer of society we call vote buying," he added.

Garcia clarified that they are not encouraging to conduct warrantless arrests. However, he also mentioned that such an act cannot be prohibited under the Constitution and will always remain an option. 

The poll chief also explained that the reason why law enforcers are having a hard time putting behind bars those involved in vote-buying incidents is because they're working on implementing a 1985 law or the Omnibus Election Code (OEC). Garcia said that this law never foresaw the use of banking applications as a means to conduct vote-buying and if it is possible to incorporate this in the provision of the OEC.

Newer schemes

Commissioner Ernesto Maceda, Jr., disclosed that some of the agencies who will be part of their anti-vote-buying committee are the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), as well as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Currently, he stated that they are crafting the final version of their rules and regulations on "Kontra Bigay".

He mentioned that they may include here the use of online banking apps for vote buying. Maceda explained that before, they tried to prohibit large withdrawals of cash but it was questioned by the Supreme Court (SC). 

"This time, we will address it by targeting the distribution angle. Hindi yung pag-withdraw but pag-distribute," he said.

"Kung saka-sakaling kunyari mayroon kayong napakaraming recipients ng certain amount of money, lalo na yung mga walang butal medyo ituturing na namin by way of prima facie na ebidensiya na yan maari na namin tugisin (If in case there will be several recipients of a certain amount of money especially those in exact amounts, we might consider it as prima facie evidence ," he added.

Related Tags

BSKE 2023 Comelec Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commission on Elections BSKE
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