MANILA — To settle “once and for all” the issue of irregularities in the May 2022 elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) intends to do a manual recount of the ballots.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia yesterday reported that he is proposing to the Commission en banc the recount of ballots from polling precincts to be chosen by the group seeking to disqualify technology provider Smartmatic from participating in future elections.
Garcia said he is suggesting the crafting of a procedure for the manual counting of ballots as a win-win solution to settle the issue of irregularities.
“We will make a hastened procedure where in 17 regions, they can pick any precinct and we can open the ballots. Petitioners can choose and we will open the ballot boxes and we will count one by one the ballots to see if it matches the elections returns,” the poll chief explained in Filipino.
Garcia said the Comelec will shoulder the cost of the public re-counting of ballots. He said all stakeholders will be invited to attend the manual counting.
He said discrepancies in the results of the recount of ballots and election returns will prove irregularity. If the numbers tally, it means the results of the May 2022 elections are correct. Election watchdog groups may also bring their copy of the election returns to check any discrepancies.
Garcia hopes to undertake the manual recount of ballots by November or before the Comelec starts the bidding for the procurement or lease of the new technology to be used in the May 2025 elections.
If proven that there were indeed irregularities, he said, the Comelec will not only blacklist or disqualify Smartmatic but may also opt to return the retention money to the company.
For its part, technology provider Smartmatic disputed yesterday allegations of irregularities in the May 2022 national and local elections.
“We have consistently disproved and established before the Commission that all of these social media accusations are not only false, but are mere baseless speculations with a singular goal of maligning our company,” Smartmartic said in statement.
Smartmatic said the disqualification petition filed against their company is not founded on established evidence and hard facts.
It expressed confidence that “there is no discrepancy” between the precinct level count and the data as received by the National Board of Canvassers and the Transparency Server.
Early voting
The Comelec is expecting a higher turnout of elderly voters and those with disabilities in the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE).
Comelec partnered with Upholding Life and Nature (ULAN) in a campaign to encourage more senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and heavily pregnant women to avail of early voting.
The Commission previously announced it would pilot test the early voting hours scheme for PWDs, SCs and pregnant voters in Naga City and Muntinlupa City.
Members of the said sectors can vote from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. on Oct. 30.
Garcia noted that the number of senior citizen voters has increased, from 10,085, 956 during the May 2022 elections to 11,255,189 for the upcoming BSKE.
Garcia said the Comelec cannot determine yet the reason behind the drop in the number of registered PWD voters from 511,612 in the 2022 elections to 453,851.
Meanwhile, senior citizens posted a 73.95 percent voter turnout in the 2022 polls while PWDs was 71.53 percent.
Women-led opposition
The opposition is consolidating the Senate slate ahead of the midterm polls with more women leaders in it, according to Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
“That’s something I would be working on – to elect more women opposition senators in 2025,” Hontiveros said in an ambush interview after a UN Women event in Mandaluyong City on women’s leadership.
Hontiveros added that she is still convincing former vice president Leni Robredo, who lost her presidential bid last year, to lead the Senate opposition roster in 2025.
“I’ve been encouraging and supporting former VP Leni to run for the Senate in 2025. If she has other plans in 2025, I will still be encouraging her (to run) in 2028,” Hontiveros said.
“Any public announcementshould be made by her. But for sure, she remains politically active through Angat Buhay. I am not alone in convincing and supporting her to remain politically active,” she added, referring to Robredo’s non-government organization launched after the elections.
She is also hoping former senator Leila de Lima – detained on illegal drug charges her camp says are trumped up cases – can make a comeback to the Senate despite losing last year in her reelection bid. (philstar)
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