EU observers flag vote-buying in Bohol

NOTE: THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE BOHOL CHRONICLE’S SUNDAY PRINT EDITION.

***ELECTION OBSERVERS*** Juris Bigels and Ana Rita Mira from the European Union (Election Observation Mission of the Philippines) discuss the Philippine setting of an election with Chair Peter Dejaresco of the Bohol Chronicle Radio Corp. (BCRC) few days before the May 12 polls at the BCRC corporate office.

Massive vote buying marred the election in most areas in the province.

This was confirmed when Bohol was observed to be one of the eight areas in the country where vote buying was rampant in the recently concluded midterm elections on May 12, according to the European Union Election Observation Mission.

Along with Bohol, vote buying is rampant in the provinces of Davao Oriental, La Union, Palawan, Quezon, Siquijor, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga City.

In a press conference, EOM deputy chief observer Manuel Sanchez de Nogues said that vote buying in the Philippines is “endemic” and “well-entrenched” because “credible signs” such as the giving of money, aid or goods have been detected.

This is despite the efforts of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to address vote buying through regulations and measures, including the formation of a task force called “Kontra Bigay.”

Out of 98 observed campaign events, the EU EOM said it witnessed at least five instances of vote buying. In addition to widespread vote buying, the EU EOM also reported on political families dominating local elections. It also said that electoral violence continued to be a “recurrent feature” of Philippine elections, manifested “through intimidation, harassment and violent incidents targeting candidates, their supporters and election administrators.

Juris Bigels and Ana Rita Mira, both long term observers working for the EU EOM visited the Chronicle offices a few days before the election as part of their data gathering for the coming elections.

During the “Election Watch” radio coverage of dyRD, reports revealed that one of the highest amounts in vote buying was in Loboc town where a mayoral candidate spent P10,000 per voter.

Vote buying in different amounts was also rampant in most places in the province, including in Tagbilaran City.

Fr. Jingboy Saco, parish priest in Manga district, this city who did an honest to goodness campaign against vote buying said the actual buying of votes came on the night before the election day as political camps were just waiting on who would be the first to violate what was agreed not to buy votes.