Comelec acting spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco (File photo) MANILA - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday expressed its support for the measure seeking to declare vote-buying as a heinous crime. "The Comelec, through Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia, fully supports the passage of HB (House Bill) No. 1709 entitled "An Act Defining and Declaring Vote-Buying as a Heinous Crime", authored and filed by Malasakit at Bayanihan Rep. Anthony Golez, Jr.," said Comelec acting spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco in a statement. Once the bill is approved, the penalty for such offense will be punishable by 20 to 40 years imprisonment. Meanwhile, Laudiangco said the poll body is seeking to revisit the law, particularly Section 261 (a) of the Omnibus Election Code (BP Blg. 881, as amended), which provides for the definition of vote-buying and vote-selling. "This specific recommendation is made insofar as the updating of the definition of vote-buying and vote-selling