It is not considered vote-buying since local campaigning has yet to start, according to Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla who justified the videos of him giving cash to his constituents who attended the UniTeam's campaign sortie on Tuesday, March 22.
The tandem of presidential aspirant Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. and vice-presidential candidate Sara Duterte-Carpio visited several parts of the vote-rich province in a bid to persuade Cavitenos to vote for them in the May polls.
In an interview with reporters, Remulla said the cash-giving doesn't count as an election offense since Marcos and Duterte were not in the venue at the time.
"Kung titingnan ang stage ako lang, di pa ko kandidato, (March) 25th pa ako kandidato… so it was not a violation (of election rules) kasi ako lang ‘yun," Remulla said.
[If you look at the stage, it’s just me and I am not yet a candidate, I will only become a candidate on the 25th… so it was not a violation because it was just me on stage.]
[If other candidates are there then it becomes a campaign sortie.]
Remulla was referring to the giving of cash prizes during a “talent showdown” that he hosted.
Section XXII of the Omnibus Election Code prohibits vote-buying which is defined as “any person who gives, offers or promises money or anything of value… in order to induce anyone or the public, in general, to vote for or against any candidate…”
Campaign for national posts started on February 8 while the campaign for local posts will begin on March 25.
