Comelec says ready to address reports of poll irregularities at proper forum
MANILA, Philippines — It is difficult to infer poll fraud from allegations on social media, the Commission on Elections said Tuesday as it also assured the public that it would face any allegations of anomalies before electoral tribunals.
There are no formal allegations of fraud but hundreds of protesters, including university students, surrounded the Comelec's headquarters in Intramuros, Manila earlier Tuesday, claiming the apparent poll victory of Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. was tainted with fraud.
"Nakahanda naman po ang Comelec na humarap sa proper forum. Nakahanda po kami since nag-manual elections, since the first automated elections in 2010," Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said in a press conference at the Philippine International Convention Center, where canvassing of votes for national positions is done.
(The Comelec is ready to face [the allegations] through proper forum. We've been ready since we've handled the manual elections and since the first automated elections in 2010.)
"We are willing and ready. Pag kami ay sinubpoena ng Supreme Court or mga Presidential Electoral Tribunal, kahit man Senate Electoral Tribunal or House of Representatives Electoral Tribunals, ang Komisyon ng Halalan po ay tumatalima," he said.
(We are willing and ready. If we are served with a subpoena by the Supreme Court, or the Presidential Electoral Tribunal or those of the Senate and House of Representatives, the commission will obey.)
He also urged the public to bring their allegations before the proper forums so these can be addressed.
Elections on Monday saw vote-counting machines breaking down and people standing in line to vote for hours past 7 p.m., when polling centers were scheduled to close. There were also scattered reports of VCM receipts bearing incorrect voting data.
Vice President Leni Robredo, speaking before dawn Tuesday, acknowledged that while counting is not yet done and that "while there are questions on this election that needs to be addressed, it is becoming clearer and clearer what the voice of the people is."
She said in a separate statement later Tuesday that she is consulting with experts about allegations spreading on social media but did not make any allegations herself.
Lawyer Chel Diokno, a candidate for senator, said in a message congratulating likely winners of the senatorial race that the results of Monday's polls seem clear-cut.
"Patuloy tayong magmo-monitor hanggang lahat ng boto ay nabilang at naipaliwanag ang mga iregularidad. Ngunit sa ngayon, malinaw ang resulta ng Quick Count, at sa isang demokrasya, karapatdapat na tanggapin ang pasya ng taumbayan," he said.
(We will continue monitoring to make sure each vote is counted and that reported irregularities are explained. But, at this point, the results of the Quick Count are clear, and in a democracy, the will of the people deserves to be respected.)
RELATED: Machine breakdowns leave Filipinos in line to vote hours past closing
'Cheating hard to prove'
Comelec commissioner Marlon Casquejo meanwhile said posts on social media pointing out that Marcos' lead over Robredo had stayed at a constant 47% in the partial tallies are not proof of fraud.
"Mahirap i-prove iyan pag sinabi mong may cheating with regards [to] that percentage. Unang-una, 'yung ating system natin dumaan iyan sa ating certification, so meron tayong local source code review. How can you insert such percentage na ipanalo mo 'yung kandidato mo o matalo yung kandidato mo?" he said in the same press conference.
(It's hard to prove that there was cheating with regards to that percentage. First, our system went through a certification. We have our local source code review. How can you insert such percentage that would make a candidate win or lose?)
He said the tally can be checked against the election returns from each province.
Student organizations from Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University (DLSU), and the sole student representative on the University of the Philippines' Board of Regents, separately called for an academic walkout saying that there should be "no classes under a Marcos presidency."
"In light of the recent news of alleged electoral fraud and the impending declaration of victory from the Marcos-Duterte camp, the University Student Government (USG) demands that classes be continually suspended until the full truth is upheld," the DLSU USG said in a statement on Tuesday.
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