The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) have joined forces to fight vote buying and vote selling not only in the coming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on Oct. 30 but also in future elections.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla and Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) against "Kontra Bigay."

“We are making history,” declared Remulla during the signing of the MOA at the DOJ offices in Manila.

“Pinalalakas natin ang pondasyon ng ating demokrasya. Nagpapadala tayo ng malinaw na mensahe sa bawat Filipino ng kahalagahan at kabanalan ng ating boto ay ating ipagtatanggol (We are strengthening the foundation of our democracy. We are sending a clear message to every Filipino on the importance and sanctity that our votes should be protected),” he said. 

The DOJ chief explained: “Ang ating layunin ay simpleng simple, labanan ang malawakang problema ng vote buying at vote selling na sumisira sa integridad ng ating electoral process (Our purpose is very simple, fight the widespread problem of vote buying and vote selling that destroy the integrity of the electoral process).”

“Sa MOA na ito magkasama tayong tatayo, mag-uusap at magtutulungan (Under this MOA, we will together stand, talk, and help each other),” he said.

 “Layunin natin na siguraduhin na ang mga nagkasala sa eleksyon ay haharap sa batas (The aim of this MOA is to ensure that those who commit election offenses face the law). Combining the investigatory prowess of the Comelec and the prosecutorial power of the DOJ we aim to ensure those who committed election offenses shall face the full force of the law,” he added.

For his part, Chairman Garcia said “the only way to weed out and fight this evil of what we call vote buying and vote selling is to nip the bud so to speak and the only way to do that is to prosecute and prosecute with firmness.”

“Kung nasa panig namin ang prosecutorial arm ng ating pamahalaan sa pangunguna ng National Prosecution Service at iba pang ahensya sa Department of Justice masisigurado natin hindi na matatakot, masisigurado natin na sadyang matutukan at magiging seryoso ang kampanya dito po sa ating makabagong kanser ng ating demokrasya (If we have on our side the prosecutorial arm of the government led by the National Prosecution Service and the other agencies of the DOJ, we can ensure that no one will fear, and there will be focus and serious campaign against this new cancer of our democracy),” Garcia said. 

With the BSKE to be held on Oct. 30, Garcia expects “ang pamimili ng boto sure na mangyayari 10 araw bago ng eleksyon at mismong araw ng eleksyon (vote buying will take place 10 days before and on the day of the elections).

“Kaya ‘yun po ang pinaghahandaan natin (That’s why we are preparing for this),” he said.

Garcia believes that, once this campaign against vote buying becomes a success, it will be replicated in 2025 elections and the succeeding polls.