Former Angeles City Councilor Joseph Ponce has urged voters to reject vote-buying as the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) kicked off on Thursday all over the country.
“Vote buying affect the lives and welfare of the poor Filipinos and the country as a whole,” according to Ponce.
Ponce was joined by Kagawad Grace Urbano, Joel Ocop, Jen Bonifacio, Socwey Manalastas, Kim Timbol, Ednel Batac, Pektus and supporters during the signing of the Voters Commitment which coincided with the start of BSKE campaign period.
Ponce cited some actions to take in the days to come: a) Flaglets bearing the message “no to vote-buying, no to vote-selling” to encourage the public as well as the candidates to uphold honesty and integrity during election campaigns; (b) Proper information dissemination through print, broadcast, and social media will help reduce the number of people engaging in vote buying and selling; (c) Create Balibago Anti-Vote Buying/Selling Teams/Task Force; and (d) Symbolic commitment signing of “no to vote-buying /selling” in Balibago.
The imposable penalties for vote-buying and selling, according to Section 264 of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC), is imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years and shall not be subject to probation.
In addition, the guilty party shall be sentenced to suffer disqualification to hold public office and deprivation of the right of suffrage.
Any political party found guilty shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than P10,000, which shall be imposed upon such party after criminal action has been instituted in which their corresponding officials have been found guilty.