BANGUED, Abra (PIA) --The Office of the Provincial Elections Supervisor (OPES) informed all the Municipal Election Officers(EOs) and Municipal Chief-of-Police that they are mandated to form a Kontra Bigay Committee for the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan  elections  in their respective areas of responsibility.

Abra  Provincial Election Supervisor (PES) Atty. Mae Richelle Belmes said that Committee on KontraBigay (CKB) is created under Comelec Resolution No. 10946 and  launched during the submission of Certificates of Candidacy  in COMELEC En Banc, Manila.

 “This is a standing permanent committee through a whole-of-nation approach  dedicated to attacking the modern cancer of democracy, the voce-buying and selling,” Belmes said.

 She explained  that this committee provides an efficient mechanism and structure for the implementation of policies against vote-buying and vote selling by the active participation of all sectors of society.

  “Under this whole-of-nation approach,  we shall establish the Kontra Bigay Complaint Center where reports and incidents of vote buying and selling will be received,” she said. This center will be manned by the CKB.

In the provincial level, the CKB is chaired by the PES with the following as members; Highest Ranking Provincial Official of the Department of Education , the Police Provincial Director, the Philippine Army’s Battalion Commander, Provincial Head of Nation Bureau of Investigation, the Provincial Prosecutor and provincial citizens’ arm representative of the Commission.

The municipal CKB  shall be composed  of the  election officer, the highest ranking  DepEd official in the municipality/city, PNP chief of police, highest ranking officer in the area as may be designated by the AFP, City Prosecutor and Provincial Prosecutor for the MCKB, and representative, local chapter  of citizens’ arm of the Commission.

 “The powers and functions of this committee include the implementation of policies against vote buying and selling, enjoin the different sectors to participate in the implementation of this order, assist law enforcement against vote buying and selling schemes and to report incidents of such to the PNP or AFP having jurisdiction over the place where the alleged offense took place,” Belmes explained.

 The CKB  Complaint Center operates from 8:00AM to 5:00PM starting August  28  until  October 28, 2023. However, it will operate 24 hours a day on October 29 to October 31, 2023.

 The PES  also presented the different activities presumed to be a vote-buying and selling that include  long lines or queues of registered voters for the distribution of money or anything of value;   giving of “ayuda”, holding of sports activities, talent shows, employing the ‘hakot’ system, among others.

Belmes reported that she already submitted one  case of pre-mature campaigning in the province for investigation. (JDP/CAGT – PIA CAR, Abra)