Despite glitches, Comelec says midterm election 'successful’
MANILA, Philippines — Amid reports of problems with vote counting machines and hours-long delay in transmission of election returns to media groups and watchdogs, the Commission on Elections declared Tuesday it successfully held the midterm polls.
“Despite those glitches that we have since it’s just less than one percent or one percentage of the entire 85,000 plus clustered precincts, we can say that the election is successful,” Comelec Commissioner Marlon Casquejo told a press conference.
“In fact, we’re already in the 96% transmission. So our transmission was faster compared to the past elections,” Casquejo added.
According to Comelec, 961 or 1.1% of total 85,769 vote counting machines (VCM) earmarked for this year’s elections were defective, higher than 801 faulty VCM in the 2016 presidential election.
Meanwhile, out of 85,769 SD cards released for Monday’s election, 1.9% or 1,665 units malfunctioned — of which 1,253 were replaced. In 2016, there were 120 broken SD cards.
The National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections, or NAMFREL, on Monday raised concerns over "verified" reports submitted by its volunteers, including reports of malfunctioning VCMs.
“While many of the verified reports concern procedural lapses that are administrative in nature, there have been incidents that could affect the integrity of the results of the election in specific areas,” NAMFREL said.
In the same press conference, Comelec’s Casquejo maintained that “the result of the election is valid and credible.”
“Dumaan tayo ng sinasabi natin local source code review, all of the AES (Automated Election System) components passed through the local source code review and all of the AES major components passed with flying colors,” he said. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral
Updates on the conduct of the Philippines' elections.
Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon says only Cardema's application for substitution was given due course.
"His substitution is not yet granted because there is a pending petition or opposition on the ground that he us over 30 yrs old and cannot be a representative of a youth sector party list," she adds.
From @commrguanzon: (only) his application for substitution was given due course. His substitution is not yet granted because there is a pending petition or opposition on the ground that he us over 30 yrs old and cannot be a representative of a youth sector party list. https://t.co/Lxi7JmbqVl
— James Jimenez (@jabjimenez) June 4, 2019
The Palace says it had nothing to with the Commission on Elections decision to approve Cardema as a substitute nominee for the Duterte Youth, a party-list that is actually for the "youth and professionals" sector.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo says the Palace recognizes Comelec's independence as a constitutional body.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo on Comelec approving Cardema party list nominee substitution: "We do not intrude nor interfere into the proceedings of any branch of the government or any constitutional body." @PhilippineStar @PhilstarNews
— Alexis B. Romero (@alexisbromero) June 4, 2019
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez says the substitution of former National Youth Commission Chair Ronald Cardema as Duterte Youth party-list nominee has been approved.
One Comelec commissioner dissented and one abstained in the voting.
Sen. JV Ejercito says that he is open to a Cabinet position if President Rodrigo Duterte offers him one.
"If I know I will be effective, if I know that I'll be able to help in that position, if I can share my expertise, why not?" he says in an interview over ANC's "Headstart."
Sen. JV Ejercito who lost his re-election bid says that if his brother Jinggoy Estrada had not run, he would have secured a Senate seat.
Their father, Erap Estrada, who also lost his re-election bid as Manila mayor, allowed both Jinggoy and him to run because he didn't want to choose between them, Ejercito says in an interview over ANC's "Headstart."
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