ILOILO City – Despite a surge of complaints about alleged vote-buying in Western Visayas during the recently-concluded midterm elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Region 6 has admitted that most of the reports cannot be acted upon due to lack of substantial evidence.
Regional Director Dennis Ausan revealed that while complaints came through various channels — including text messages, phone calls, emails, the national Comelec office, the Committee on Kontra Bigay, and even the Malacañang 8888 hotline — many were vague or unsupported.
“We received so many reports, but most of them lacked sufficient details to warrant formal action,” Ausan said in a post-election interview on Monday night.
He added: “I’ve issued numerous memoranda to election officers to probe deeper, but if the complaints are incomplete, we’re left with no clear basis for legal action.”
Ausan explained that only a few reports came with full documentation — such as photos, videos, or affidavits — allowing the regional office to forward them to the National Committee on Kontra Bigay for possible prosecution.
“Photos and videos are helpful, but without someone willing to testify under oath, they lose their value in court,” he said. “Technology today can fake anything. That’s why we always ask complainants if they are ready to execute an affidavit and testify. Without that, it’s practically useless.”
He added that while Comelec appreciates the public’s vigilance, the burden of evidence remains critical.
“We cannot just act on sweeping allegations,” Ausan stressed. “We guide complainants and ask them to provide additional information if possible. But ultimately, we need verifiable evidence.”
The election official reiterated his call to the public: “If you want us to pursue these cases, be ready to stand by your claims in court. Reporting is only the first step — building a case requires courage and commitment.”/PN
