RPPe Lawmakers warn of reverting to ‘stone age ‘manual counting of votes following Comelec’s controversy

Members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday warned that if the attacks on the propriety of the P18-billion automated election contract of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) with Korean firm Miru Systems continue, the country may revert to the stone age of manual vote counting.

“‘Why are we going to go back to stone age? We are already at this point of time that we are following what the global community is doing in terms of elections. So sa mga away-away diyan sa hanapbuhay, tapusin niyo na ‘yan kasi hindi ‘yan ang dapat para sa mga mamamayang Pilipino,” Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin said.

1-Rider Rep. Rodge Gutierrez said he is alarmed about the timing of those who wish to impugn irregularities on the award of the contract to Miru by Comelec, especially that the 2025 midterm elections is very near.

“Nakaka-alarm po ito kasi iyong oras, iyong timing nito, given na meron pong upcoming elections. I don’t know if ever maaksyunan ito and they decide to undo iyong pag-award po kay Miru,” Gutierrez said.

“Kasi po whether or not there is an issue with procurement dapat matutuloy po ang elections po natin. Nasa batas po iyon, nasa Constitution po iyan … We might revert to manual voting,” he added.

Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong shared the concerns of Gutierrez on reverting back to manual counting of the votes. 

“The counting is supposed to be automated. Mahirap po iyong counting taras, babalik ho tayo doon at saka palagay ko, I hope the Comelec will not see that as an option because may automated law na po talaga tayo eh and that would be a violation of the automated election law,” Adiong said.

“That would be not only a violation but it is more costly than the automation kung magma-manual po tayo ng counting,” he added.

Former Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice recently filed an anti-graft and corruption practice complaint against Comelec chairman George Garcia with the Office of the Ombudsman over the P18 billion contract with Miru. 

Earlier, Sagip Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta questioned Comelec’s awarding of the contract following the alleged existence of 49 offshore bank accounts that received money from South Korean banks.

Adiong said it is up to the courts to decide on the propriety and legality of the award.

“Tama po ‘yung sinabi ni Cong. Rodge, these are

mere allegations, its for the court to decide. These allegations cannot stop Comelec from delivering what is prescribed and what is given to them that a part of their power under the automated law, election law. So hindi dapat maging rason na dahil may allegation tapos baka mag-revert back tayo doon sa manual,” Adiong said.

“I would really advise the commission to really push for the automated election. Kung sino man at kung ano yung mga allegation nila, let the courts decide on that. But we should not make as an option to revert back to the old practice of manual counting because believe me, mas ma-expose ‘yan sa fraud at tsaka mas bayolente ‘yung magiging resulta pag manual ang counting at manual ang election,” he added.

Garin agreed with the two lawmakers, saying that reverting to manual counting of votes will taint the outcome of the midterm elections.

“Bilang Pilipino, hindi dapat magkakaroon ng taint ‘yung ating election. Hindi kasi pwedeng patuloy na minamantsahan yung ating mga eleksyon kung walang basehan,” Garin said.

“Kung merong pruweba, proceed. Kung wala naman, ihinto na natin yan … Let us always remember, the more we taint our election, the more we taint our country, the more we burden our people and the more na nakakahiya tayo sa ating bansa,” Garin said.

“So ang importante ngayon, address the problem ASAP, put a solution and let's move forward. Dahil ako, sa tagal ko dito sa politika ng Pilipinas, I believe that automated election, though it is not really perfect, have many, many, many safeguards as compared doon sa manual elections,” Garin added. (END)