THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday said money transfers using digital wallets and online banking platforms are also covered under the new guidelines for vote buying which will be implemented during the October 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
In a radio interview, Comelec chairman George Garcia said businesses providing digital wallets and online banking services may be held liable if they allow their platforms to be used in vote buying activities.
“The conspiracy to commit vote buying means it will not just be the candidate or the one directly buying votes that can be held liable, but also the means used in committing vote buying,” said Garcia.
“If possible, the platform provider should voluntarily refuse such transactions, where they will be used as a means to buy votes. They could be implicated,” he warned.
In particular, the poll chief said such platforms should be on the lookout for high volume transactions, especially those made proximate to Election Day.
“We are actually not talking about the amount of transactions, but the volume of transactions. If one sends money to 50 or 200 people in just a day, then it’s done a day before Election Day, those are highly possible as vote buying activities,” Garcia said.
He said that based on their initial discussions with companies involved in digital wallets and online banking, the firms are open to the call of the Comelec.
“They have been very cooperative. This will be part of the Memorandum of Agreement we will be entering into so that those planning to buy votes are put on notice,” said Garcia.
Prior to the May 2022 polls, the Comelec has already raised the problem of dealing with the newer schemes of vote buying, particularly those done electronically or online.
Earlier, Comelec – Committee on Kontra-Bigay head Commissioner Ernesto Maceda, Jr. said they are set to include vote buying schemes that are done via online banking or digital wallets in their new rules on such prohibited acts.
