• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division aired its full support for the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) Kontra Bigay campaign against vote-buying and vote-selling in the May 12 midterm elections.
Kontra Bigay campaign aims to combat vote-buying, vote-selling, and the misuse of government resources to protect electoral integrity, according to the Comelec.
Comelec Resolution No. 11104 strengthens the Kontra-Bigay Committee, providing stricter guidelines to prevent these long-standing electoral violations.
It defines and prohibits vote-buying (offering incentives for votes) and vote-selling (accepting them), along with pre-election cash possession, goods distribution, and candidate-linked events.
Comelec said it also targets abuse of state resources for political gain, including unauthorized aid disbursement near elections and misuse of government assets for campaigning.
“We look forward to the expanded and well-defined mandate of Comelec Resolution No. 11104, enabling us to expand our functions, outputs and results, and to bring to conclusion cases filed against perpetrators of these offenses,” Dennis Ausan, Comelec regional director for Western Visayas, said.
He addressed law enforcement agencies and the Regional Committee on Kontra Bigay members during the launching held at Camp Delgado in Iloilo City on Feb. 28.
Brig. Gen. Michael Samson, acting 3rd Infantry Division commander, vowed to support the Kontra Bigay campaign and acknowledged the regional committee’s challenges in implementing the initiative.
“As long as we remain united in our purpose, we will accomplish our tasks and achieve fair, peaceful, and credible national and local elections,” Samson said. | GB
