𝗖𝗲𝗻𝗣𝗘𝗚 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁-𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴

The Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) expresses deep concern over the numerous reports of miscounting by Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) during the first four hours of the ongoing elections. These reports—from various precincts nationwide—undermine the credibility of the electoral process and further erode public trust in automated election technology.

Given these alarming incidents, CenPEG reiterates its long-standing advocacy for 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 as mandated in Section 31 of the AES Law to ensure transparency, verifiability, and public confidence in the electoral outcome.

"𝙒𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙮. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝘼𝘾𝙈𝙨—𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙙𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙫𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜—𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙡 𝘾𝙊𝙈𝙀𝙇𝙀𝘾 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙩 𝙡𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙫𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙," said Prof. Roland Simbulan, CenPEG Chairperson.

CenPEG calls on the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), civil society, and the public to demand accountability and urgent reforms. It is time to place the people’s vote—not machines—at the center of our democratic process.###

Reference: Vote Report PH