Marcos to voters: Don't waste right to pick barangay officials

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Monday reminded Filipinos not to engage in vote buying amid the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

Speaking to reporters in Ilocos Norte where he cast his vote in Batac City, Marcos urged voters not to waste their rights on choosing who will lead their respective barangays (villages).

"Ang payo ko lang sa ating mga kababayan, huwag niyong itatapon ang inyong karapatan na makapili ng inyong mga barangay official, dahil alam niyo naman na ang mga barangay official ang mga kaharap ninyo araw-araw. Ito ang mga tinatakbuhan ninyo para makatulong sa inyong problema," Marcos said.

(My advice to our kababayans is that they should not throw their rights to choose their barangay officials because these officials are the ones they face every day. You will go to them for your needs.)

"Kaya’t kung idadaan lang sa bayaran ay mawawala ang boses ninyo at hindi ninyo maipili kung sino ba ang dapat ba talaga na mamuno sa inyong barangay, at sino ang makakatulong sa inyo na harapin ang mga problema na araw-araw na dinadala ninyo sa mga barangay official," he added.

(If you will just let them buy your votes, you cannot rightfully choose who will lead your barangays and who will help you address problems.)

Marcos admitted that there were still vote-buying incidents in Ilocos Norte.

"Last night there were some reports, even here in Ilocos Norte, na may mga umiikot na namimimili ng boto para dito sa barangay elections (some were roaming around to buy votes for the barangay elections)," he said.

The President said he directed concerned authorities to immediately go to the areas where the incidents of vote-buying were reported.

"We will do our part as the government, we will do our part to continue to enforce all of the laws that do not allow the use of vote-buying as the part of the campaign," Marcos said.  —KBK, GMA Integrated News

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