Juventux Vox: Vote ‘buy and sell’

VOTE buying is a corrupt election practice. It is when any reward and a monetary bribe given to a person by a politician in exchange of their votes. This has been a long problem during election in the Philippines.

As Election Day is approaching, some politicians and their henchmen may do their best just to win the hearts of Filipino voters by making sweet promises made of sugar-coated words, and then attempt every voters with cash at the wee hours of the night.

Here in the Philippines, buying votes becomes an ugly tradition in the field of politics and widely accepted in some areas that are stricken of poverty. And if you consider most places are poor, it is virtually everywhere.

The politicians' insatiable lust to win, is what drives them to commit such act, and it has already become an open secret.

And yet, the “willing” benefactors, the voters, thought it's an early holiday gift, somehow it could buy them food from amounts given to them at minimum of P20, to a luxurious price of P5,000 (depends on the area).

Here is now a significant question for us. Is that your value as person? When you sell your votes, you’re just like selling your soul. Stop this rotten system and cut your hypocritical mind set of yours. Vote buying and selling should be stop because this is a major obstacle to the implementation of a democracy because the true voices of Filipinos are not heard.

If politicians are elected only for having the most number of votes by means of buying them. What would you expect for? They do not have enough capabilities to sit on the spot. This is bad as well for our economy. The economy of our country will not go forward if the elected officials have no good program for economic growth. Now, those who claim to be right are people who are insufficient to understand what is right and not living it well.

Vote buying is strictly prohibited and can be regarded as an election offense based on Omnibus Election Code, section 26, Article 22, and has a penalty involving a voting disqualification or imprisonment of one to six years, as may be bought to the local court of the Commission on Elections.

One vote is important. Don’t let our nation suffer for a year only to felt temporary comfort in the meantime. Be a Filipino who is poor, yet moral. Choose wisely. (Cepriano S. Lao III/Bugo National High School)

(Juventus Vox is SunStar Cagayan de Oro’s section for the youth’s perceptions and life’s views, feel free to contribute by sending in articles via cdosunstar@gmail.com)

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