from Malaya
http://www.malaya.com.ph/03052010/news11.htmlTHE Commission on Elections is looking at the possibility of reviewing the rules on campaign finances as it admitted the seriousness of the problem of narco-politics in the country.
Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said they are concerned with the presence of candidates receiving money from drug traffickers for their campaign since it has "serious repercussions on our governance".
The US State Department last Tuesday reported that illegal drug operation in the Philippines is among the major threats to the holding of honest and orderly elections in May, warning that it could even affect the results of the polls.
According to Sarmiento, among the possible regulations the poll body would look to reinforce are the rules on vote-buying and acceptance of campaign funds.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has affirmed the role of narcopolitics saying that it was already present in the 2004 and 2007 elections.
National security adviser and Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales said allegations of narcopolitics are very serious and should be verified.
"Tuwing may election may mga ganitong klaseng news na lumalabas …Isa iyun sa mga tinitingnan natin. Bahagi iyan ng campaign ng Armed Forces dito sa sinasabi nating loose firearms at saka mga involvement ng goons sa pulitika. Meron din tayong mga natatanggap na balita na ibang local officials ay involve sa ganyang (narcopolitics) klaseng trabaho," he said.
Gonzales admitted the NSA office and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) had received previous reports of some congressmen, councilors and other local government officials being involved or having links with drug syndicates or drug lords.
"Kung tsismis ang pagbabasehan natin. Hanggang sa taas (level of presidential bets) ang tsismis pero kailanganag i-prove natin iyun at i-verify natin ng maayos kasi syempre lalo na sa panahon ngayon, dapat tinitingnan kung ano talaga ang totoo," he added.
Administration presidential candidate Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the danger of narco-politics should not be ignored because drug lords unabashedly buy out people using billions, even in the United States.
Teodoro said the Philippine government doesn’t know how much illegal drugs enter the country because the Coast Guard does not have enough manpower to monitor what comes into its 36,000-kilometer coastline.
Liberal party presidential candidate Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III said he has become even more cautious of offers of campaign contributions.
He said his camp closely scrutinizes offers from prospective donors, and rejects them if there were doubts about the source of the funds.
"Pag yung lumapit di ma-trace ang legitimacy ng kanyang inaalok na tulong, we decide not to accept," Aquino said. – Gerard Naval, Jocelyn Montemayor and Regina Bengco
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