ILOILO – In a bid to clamp down on rampant vote-buying during the upcoming May 12 midterm elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is enforcing a nationwide two-day “money ban” prohibiting the possession, transport, or carrying of more than P500,000 in cash or its foreign currency equivalent.
The money ban, which takes effect on May 11 and continues through election day on May 12, is mandated under Section 28 of Comelec Resolution No. 11104.
It also covers cash accompanied by campaign paraphernalia or materials that may serve as corroborating evidence of electoral offenses.
To enforce the ban, all Comelec checkpoints nationwide will implement round-the-clock inspections, supplementing the ongoing gun ban checkpoints.
“The money ban is a critical tool to help Comelec identify substantial cash movements during the critical pre-election period, which may be indicators of vote-buying activities,” said Atty. Reinier Layson, provincial election supervisor for Comelec-Iloilo, in a press conference hosted by the Philippine Information Agency on April 23.
“It helps us build a baseline of information to investigate suspicious financial behavior linked to election fraud,” Layson explained.
Exceptions to the ban apply to cashiers or disbursing officers transporting cash as part of their official duties — provided they can present a certificate of employment and an ID showing their name, photo, designation, and signature.
Comelec also warned that any unusual financial transactions during the election period — including large cash withdrawals, digital wallet transfers, or check encashments exceeding P500,000 without clear economic justification — shall be deemed suspicious and potentially tied to vote-buying or vote-selling. These transactions fall under Section 29 of the resolution.
Comelec is empowered to probe financial records of candidates, organizations, or groups, even on its own initiative, after due notice and hearing. It may seek assistance from government agencies such as the Commission on Audit (COA), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), and local barangay officials.
Furthermore, all financial and non-bank institutions are required to report suspicious transactions to the BSP and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
Under Section 43 of Comelec Resolution No. 11104, any candidate found guilty of vote-buying or of releasing or disbursing public funds during the prohibited period — 45 days before a regular election or 30 days before a special election — faces immediate disqualification./PN
