MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has expressed support for a law that would prohibit politicians from distributing government aid during election periods.

Comelec chairperson George Garcia said the measure would help curb vote-buying and fight the abuse of state resources (ASR).

“That is a big help to the efforts of the Comelec, since we have a Committee on Kontra Bigay,” he said in an interview.

“We really prohibit the giving of AICS [Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation], MAIFIP [Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients], AKAP [Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program], and other forms assistance except burial assistance during the elections. This would be very important to us in the fight against the abuse of state resources,” he added.

ASR refers to the misuse of government resources—whether material, human, coercive, regulatory, budgetary, media-related, or legislative—to gain electoral advantage.

Earlier, Senator Erwin Tulfo filed Senate Bill No. 1445, an “anti-epal” measure that would ban politicians from participating in the distribution of any government assistance.

Vote-buying and vote-selling, defined as giving, offering, or promising money or anything of value to induce someone to vote for or against a candidate, are election offenses under the Omnibus Election Code.