Networking now a tool for vote-buying Created on April 26, 2013, 2:40 pm Posted by nup
From scamming money off people, networking is now being used even to get people elected into government posts.
 
This was revealed to GMA News reporter Sandra Aguinaldo by a source who was hired by a mayor in Metro Manila for the upcoming May 2013 polls.
 
Angel (not her real name) said that a politician usually uses networking to recruit as much people as they can who are willing to sell their votes.
 
She said that candidates usually hire district coordinators, who in turn hire zone coordinators. He said the zone coordinators would then hire barangay coordinators, who hire team leaders like her.
 
As a team leader, she said she recruits 25 other leaders, who would then hire six to ten other people. She said the process would go on until they have a person in almost every home in the area.
"Sa tagal [na at] sa ilang election na naobserve ko, money works talaga," she said in an exclusive interview with GMA News.
 
"Pag nagbagsak ng pera, siguradong nananalo ang pulitiko... lalo na kapag malaki ang amount... tsaka depende sa amount," she added.
 
Angel said they would also scare the recruited voters a little so that they would not back out from the deal.
 
"Psychological warfare yung gagamitin na style. [Sinasabi namin] malalaman yan kasi mabibilang yan [vote] kahit hindi. Sabihin mo mabibilang kahit hindi," she said.

Highest bidder
 
But for voters like Ana (also not her real name), who has been selling her vote for 18 years now, politicians don't need to threaten her.
 
"[Ang] governor mga P1,500 hanggang P3,000 [ang bayad]. Hinahatid sa bahay mismo kakatukin ka ng hatinggabi o kaya nasa presinto ka na dun ka na sasalubingin," she said.
 
She said politicians even pay for her fare from Manila to Samar, where she is a registered voter.
 
In the same television report, Josie (also not her real name) would give her vote to the highest bidder.
 
She said she first sold her vote for P700 and then for more than P2,000.
 
Earlier, Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur Mayor Edgar Florendo was caught on video counting money and giving them to residents along with sample ballots.
 
However, Florendo said that the residents approached him for monetary help and that his political rivals are just trying to ruin him.
 
"They can throw anything they want that is in the kitchem, including the kitchen sink and everything during election time," he told GMA News.

Butuan City
 
 
Some of the young voters even said they just need the money to buy alcohol or cellphone load.
 
Under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code, vote-buying and vote-selling are prohibited:
 
"Any person who gives, offers or promises money or anything of value, gives or promises any office or employment, franchise or grant, public or private, or makes or offers to make an expenditure, directly or indirectly, or cause an expenditure to be made to any person, association, corporation, entity, or community in order to induce anyone or the public in general to vote for or against any candidate or withhold his vote in the election, or to vote for or against any aspirant for the nomination or choice of a candidate in a convention or similar selection process of a political party" and
 
"Any person, association, corporation, group or community who solicits or receives, directly or indirectly, any expenditure or promise of any office or employment, public or private, for any of the foregoing considerations."
 
Violators of the Omnibus Election Code shall face imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years. He or she shall likewise be deprived of the right to vote and be disqualified from holding public office.
 
Still, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, however, said it's hard to prove this type of election offense.
 
"Kailangan mo ipakita yung binigyan ay talagang tinaggap niya yung consideration para iboto niya yung nasabing kandidato. Kung hindi naman niya ibinoto nasan yung vote-buying doon?" he said.
 
However, he said that voters should feel more secure now since Philippine elections are automated.
 
"Sa ngayon, hindi na makikilala ng mga kandidato sino ang binoto ninyo kasi ngayon ay electronic o automated [na ang eleksyon]," he said. — with Kimberly Jane Tan/RSJ, GMA News
 
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