MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday encouraged candidates to monitor the activities of their opponents on possible election offenses.

“It would be a good idea to monitor your competition, your rivals for the position. If they commit any violations, report them to us and we will take action,” Commissioner George Erwin Garcia said in a Laging Handa briefing.

Garcia’s remarks came as local candidates officially joined the election campaign season on March 25, with local elections seen to be more intense than the national polls.

He added that this is also a way to intercept vote buying — either in cash or in kind.

“There are those who may be avoiding directly giving out cash. But sometimes, these are given through GCash or Paymaya (digital wallets) and other forms. Some do it in the forms of cards, with claims that recipients are members of certain organizations or whatever,” Garcia added.

He, meanwhile, urged the public to document violations of campaign rules.

“We can take cognizance on your complaints, including those posted in social media. We’re not blind and deaf over such realities on the ground. We have started endorsing reports to our field personnel. They will be submitting reports to us soon,” the poll body official added.

On the other hand, Comelec is set to form the inter-agency task force against vote buying on Wednesday.

The “Task Force Kontra Bigay” will be tasked to conduct a motu proprio investigation on vote-buying allegations.

The group will be composed of representatives from the Department of Justice, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, Department of Interior and Local Government, Philippine Information Agency, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, and Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Garcia added that they will push for the review and recalibration of the gun ban exemption and security application guidelines.

“Our purpose here is to cut all the administrative things that slow down the process,” he said.

Those who will benefit from the system overhaul are the members of the judiciary, prosecutorial service, Public Attorney’s Office lawyers, government personnel performing sensitive duties, Comelec field personnel, businessmen, security agencies, and individuals with credible threat assessments.

He added that they will decentralize the filing and processing of applications to their regional offices in view of the country’s improved coronavirus situation. (PNA)