Voting on May 14? Don't bring cell phones, cameras or else...

Mobile phones with built-in camera and other camera-equipped gadgets will be banned inside voting booths in a bid to fight vote-buying, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced Wednesday. Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr said the camera ban was prompted by reports that some camps will use the technology to ensure that the voters who sold their votes indeed wrote the names of the favored candidates. “After voting, a voter can show the photographs [to the vote buyer and say] ‘this is how I cast my vote.’ That would be the basis of the payment," Abalos said. According to Abalos, employees of Comelec will be on the look out for voters who will take shots of their ballots inside the polling precincts. Those who will be caught would be penalized but the Comelec will not confiscate their mobile phones or cameras. “The moment they are seen using their cameras for a photo copy of their ballots, it could be a ground for them to be investigated," Abalos warned. During election, supporters of candidates resort to vote-buying and the amount being offered ranged from P300 to as high as P500. "When you take photo of the ballots, nawawala ang secrecy nito (its secrecy is compromised)," the Comelec chief said. Comelec estimated that 45 million voters will cast their vote next week and about 2 million of them are new voters. - GMANews.TV