“The problem of our political system is the culture of dependency and mendicancy. This is what rich and powerful people primarily do so that they have something to control, because they want their constituents to remain poor.”

CAGAYAN DE ORO — Vote Report PH, a monitoring initiative by clean and fair election advocates, only received 2.13 percent of suspected vote-buying and vote-selling incidents from 6,064 suspected campaign and election violations it collected from 229 cities and municipalities during the period of the 2025 midterm polls.

Fewer reports of vote-buying incidents were also observed by the group during the 2022 national and local elections, noting only 29 percent from 224 validated reports of campaign violations.

Nestor Banuag Jr., an electoral reform advocate who also serves as chairperson of the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental Chapter, earlier said there were hesitations on the part of the voters to report vote-buying incidents due to safety concerns. This was also the reason why the reports received by their organization couldn’t be pursued due to complainants’ lack of courage to participate.

The reports by election watchdogs, specifically on vote-buying and vote-selling, may seem less, but international observers have noted that these notorious election offenses remained “entrenched and endemic” in the Philippines, stressing that a major engagement is required for them to be addressed.

“Vote-buying is also rooted in poverty. When daily life is a struggle, then some food, a small amount of money, essential services, or healthcare offered in exchange for votes can feel like a tangible benefit,” said Marta Temido, chief observer of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM), which deployed observers to different parts of the country to assess the midterm elections.

The international observers received reports of vote-buying through cash and goods, as well as during the distribution of ayuda. They documented cases in Bohol, Davao Oriental, La Union, Palawan, Quezon, Siquijor, Zamboanga City, and Zamboanga del Sur. This is part of the initial findings they released in a press conference on Wednesday, May 14.

From discreet to blatant?

Barangay Carmen, one of Cagayan de Oro’s most populous villages, made rounds on social media during the barangay and sangguniang kabataan elections in 2023 due to suspected massive vote-buying, amounting to an alleged P6,000 per vote. There was even an anticipation that a bigger amount would follow for the midterm elections after City Mayor Rolando Uy made a joke about it.

When the Commission on Elections opened the voters registration last year, the poll body observed a “surge” of new voters in Barangay Carmen. This issue was escalated to the House of Representatives for an investigation.

What the Kagay-anons most noticed in this year’s election were the alleged blatant vote-buying incidents in the city.

This came after many residents flocked in front of Cagayan de Oro 1st District Representative Lordan Suan’s home in Apitong Street, Barangay Carmen, in the last few days of the campaign period. Residents reportedly formed long queues, which caused traffic congestion in the area at some point. Similar crowd formations in the other parts of the city were also reported by news organizations.

When these incidents erupted, alleged vote-buying money from candidates of Suan’s political party had circulated on social media. Alleged vote-buying money from other party’s local poll bets had also been seen on Facebook.

Suan is reportedly facing a disqualification case because of this accusation.

Politicians exploit poverty

According to the Omnibus Election Code, vote-buying refers to the act of giving or making an offer to anyone in order “to vote for or against any candidate or withhold his vote in the election.”

Although vote-selling is also punishable, election watchdog Kontra Daya convener Danilo Arao stressed that authorities should be more judgmental to politicians who exploit poverty than to ordinary Filipinos who have no choice but to accept what was given to them just to put food on their tables.

“The problem of our political system is the culture of dependency and mendicancy. This is what rich and powerful people primarily do so that they have something to control, because they want their constituents to remain poor,” he said in Filipino during his interview over Teleradyo Serbisyo.

Arao urged the general public to vote for candidates who truly represent the interests of Filipino people. (RTS, RVO)

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Disclosure: Danilo Arao is Bulatlat’s Associate Editor.