Comelec strengthens website vs hackers

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is now strengthening its website to adhere to standards of the National Privacy Commission (NPC) in the wake of the hacking of the voter database two months before last year’s polls.

In an interview, Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said part of the efforts is the designation of executive director Jose Tolentino as data protection officer. 

The poll body is also conducting a workshop to discuss the Data Privacy Act and its implementing rules and regulations. Resource persons from the NPC are being invited to speak at the workshop.

“The recommendation of the NPC to strengthen the Comelec’s website is well taken. We will implement it. But what pains us is the NPC’s recommendation for a criminal fact-finding,” Bautista noted.

In its Dec. 28, 2016 decision, the NPC recommended the criminal prosecution of Bautista over the hacking of the voter database in March last year.

Bautista, however, maintained that the NPC had erred in its decision and that it “misappreciated facts, legal points and material context.”

Some 200 officials and employees of the Comelec yesterday expressed their support for Bautista by joining him in a mass at the Manila Cathedral in front of the Comelec main office in Intramuros. 

The poll chief admitted that he was “slightly surprised” over such show of support as he had already got wind of it from some employees.