Samira, not her real name, was only 16 years old when she registered as a first-time voter in Marawi City in 2016. Although the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Reform Act of 2015 allows minors like her to register, she was only supposed to vote for the SK elections. 

But Samira was able to register and vote in the local and national elections in 2016, despite being younger than 18. 

Every vote counts, Samira’s parents told her, and it was them who made her register so she could add a vote for her father, who was at that time running for a local position in Marawi. To ensure that her father would win, around 20 underage cousins of hers were also registered. 

“May mga kaedaran ako roon na around 16, 15. Ang ginagawa, pinapasuot sila ng mga pangmatandang outfit para [hindi mahalatang minor] sila sa registration,” Samira said.

Minors registering for local and national elections, and engaging in vote-buying and vote-selling, are election offenses under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines. Those who are found guilty of these illegal activities shall face at least one year up to six years of imprisonment. During the imposed punishment, they will also be disqualified from holding public office and be deprived of the right to vote.

But this practice is not isolated to Samira's family. Multiple sources interviewed by the Collegian revealed a pattern of election fraud, specifically illegal voter registration of minors and vote-buying.

Who Benefits From These?

There were two main reasons why minors registered for the local and national elections: to receive vote-buying money from local candidates and to help relatives who are running for local positions win. 

Methods for registration in Lanao Del Sur often varied. Some Commission on Elections (COMELEC) registration sites required identification documents, while others did not require anything. 

But the result remained the same: they were successfully registered to vote in the local and national elections. 

Abdul, not his real name, was also 16 years old when he registered as a first-time voter in Marawi. He and his cousins, who were also minors, registered to help their grandfather win in the local elections in 2022. 

“Ang dami kong na-meet there despite being only around 14-16 years old,” said Abdul who asked for anonimity to protect his identity. “May mas bata pa pala sa akin na nakapag-register [at ang basehan nila ay ang] physical appearance.” 

Amir, not his real name, was only 15 years old in 2022 when his friends persuaded him to register so they could receive money from candidates. But unlike Abdul, Amir presented his school ID and voter registration form during the registration in Bubong, Lanao Del Sur. 

“Kapag mukha kang legal age, tatanggapin ka na nila … Natanggap yung sa registration ko kasi may backer sa loob ng office,” Amir said.

Political dynasties benefit from these fraudulent registrations through a practice locals call “3-in-1,” where money is given to registered voters in exchange for votes for members of a political clan, who usually run in tandem as governor, vice governor, and district representative. 

In fact, just a night before the midterm elections last May 12, Abdul and his friend shared that they received “tarita,” a Meranao term for a candidate’s leaflet with stapled money. 

“Natutuwa dahil [may] panibagong ayuda na dumating ngayong araw (May 11). Actually nagtutuloy-tuloy na ito, pinaisa-isa nila from 20 to 50 to 100, from the lowest position that they are running up until to mayorship,” Abdul said.

The Collegian reached out to COMELEC officers in Lanao Del Sur but has not received any response as of this writing.

Combating Fraud

Despite this incident and a warning from the province’s governor, Mamintal Adiong Jr., election watchdog Kontra Daya didn’t receive any reports from the province that minors were registering to vote for the local and national elections. 

Kontra Daya convenor Danilo Arao said that this may be because barangay leaders themselves engaged in this fraudulent activity. 

“[Ang mga] barangay chairman [ang nag-a-accommodate] ng mga voters, flying voters o mga botante o tao na pwede niyang i-register kahit na wala pa sa edad … May access din yung barangay chair at politicians sa masterlist,” Samira said.

Arao recommended that the COMELEC secure the masterlist of voters, which shouldn’t be accessible to candidates. The commission, he added, should also work hand-in-hand with government agencies that establish the identities of people, making the registration process less bureaucratic. 

“If you have a good enabling environment in terms of politics and in terms of economy, you would discourage, for example, identity theft and other nefarious practices … It's a tough balancing act for the government to ensure that these things are done,” Arao said. ●

First published in the June 19, 2025 print edition of the Collegian.