LP continues monitoring of Comelec canvassing

MANILA, Philippines — After conceding in the recently concluded senatorial elections, the Liberal Party (LP) continues to monitor the official canvassing of votes by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Sen. Francis Pangilinan of the LP filed a manifestation with the Comelec to clarify certain issues in the elections, including the details and information on the 961 defective vote counting machines (VCMs) and 1,655 corrupted SD cards.

“Every vote is sacred. We ask only for a clear and acceptable explanation to the questions of voters. This is part of Comelec’s job,” Pangilinan said.

“The fight is not over even after the elections. In fact, because of the results and the process of the elections, it is clear that we have a lot of things to do, we need more actions for the struggles we need to pursue. The advocacies and issues we fought for during the campaign are still there waiting for action,” he added.

He noted that the LP continues to monitor the canvassing of votes at Comelec. 

“Our representatives are still there to scrutinize the results. Yesterday, May 17, we submitted a manifestation with the Comelec,” he said. “(We) ask them to release significant details and information on the 961 defective VCMs, 1,655 corrupted SD cards (how many votes, which precinct or municipality or city or province, and what is the status of these, etc.).”

He added the LP also asked for the full technical report of the seven-hour “technical glitch” and an independent investigation into the said glitch; and ask for an audit and systems log of the transparency server.

“All these pieces of information are important in determining the entire process of the elections and if these are acceptable or not,” he added.

He said their lawyers and IT experts have met to prepare for a deeper understanding of what happened in the automated election system.

Pangilinan said asking what happened and insisting on an explanation from Comelec is the right thing to do and the poll body should answer a lot of questions.

“Meanwhile, we are gathering all the reports and complaints from different areas regarding our election process,” he added.

Foe her part, detained Sen. Leila de Lima has lauded the united opposition’s Senate slate Otso Diretso for running a dignified and clean race in the just-concluded elections, where advancing the causes of human rights and democracy was at the forefront.

De Lima, who is detained in Camp Crame, Quezon City on illegal drug-related charges, said the midterm elections’ results would never change how the opposition’s senatorial line-up gave hope to and inspired millions of Filipinos to speak out and fight against an oppressive regime.

The Otso Diretso members include Sen. Bam Aquino, Rep. Gary Alejano, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, civic leader Sam Gutoc, former solicitor general Florin Hilbay, election lawyer Romy Macalintal, former interiror secretary Mar Roxas and ex-Rep. Erin Tañada.

In their respective statements last May 14, Macalintal, Hilbay, Gutoc, and Tañada conceded defeat but they promised to continue fighting for the future of the country and its people after the elections.

De Lima explained that the apparent failure of Otso Diretso’s senatorial candidates to make it to the list of 12 winning Senate bets could mean “a renewed mandate for Duterte and all the negative consequences it entails for Philippine democracy.”

“This would constitute the second phase of the authoritarian experiment under Duterte, which would certainly be more terrible and frightening, what with the capture of virtually all major political institutions by Duterte,” she said.