Explainer: Why do some Filipinos sell their votes and how much do they get?

Election Day is coming near, and vote-buying could be rampant in some places. While it is illegal, many candidates still manage to buy the votes of the Filipinos to ace the polls.

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KAMI learned that there are different ways of buying votes. For one, there is this process called “gapangan.”

A local leader alias “Juan”, shared to CNN Philippines that there were times that they would pay registered voters about P1,000 each just not to vote on election day. There was also a watcher in the area to ensure that the residents would not leave their house during that day.

According to the article (author Joyce Ilas), the other scheme would require residents to show their ballots before dropping it in the PCOS machine. Juan noted that some poll watchers and teachers are aware of this and they get P300 each.

"Kahit nga minsan mga teachers alam dahil nabibigyan din 'yun. Rapos pag nakaboto ka na, mag indelible ka na, pupunta ka na uli doon sa lugar na ano, saka ka babayaran,” he said.

However, Juan said that they did that because their opponent already started doing it first.

Some residents who admitted that they accepted money in exchange for their votes said that they did it because of poverty.

However, some believed that there was nothing wrong in vote-buying since the money came from the taxpayers’ money.

"Pera din po 'yun ng bayan e. 'Di po ba? Pera 'yun ng bayan e. 'Di naman galing sa bulsa nila 'yun e," a resident said.

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Buying the votes of the Filipinos could determine the winner in the polls. In a report by the ABS-CBN News (author Angelica Yang), Maribel Buenaobra, executive director of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPRCV) said that vote-buying is a form of “cheating.”

The officials also urged the Filipinos to refrain from falling over fake news, especially now that it is the election season and propaganda can be seen almost everywhere.

KAMI reported earlier the important things to remember this coming Halalan 2019.

Vote wisely!

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Source: KAMI.com.gh