Gabriela and other party-list groups held protest May 16, Friday. Facebook/KABATAAN PARTYLIST

MANILA – The Gabriela Women's Party has asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to look into the reported anomalies in the automated election system used in the 2025 midterm elections.

Gabriela has filed a letter to Comelec to investigate the votes the group supposedly lost during the early hours of May 13,2025.

"The Gabriela Women’s Party urgently calls on the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to thoroughly investigate these matters and ensure the accuracy and security of transmitted electoral data. GWP also strongly demands the initiation of a manual vote count to verify and uphold the sanctity of the people’s vote. At the core of all of these, we urge the COMELEC to take action on the sustained and coordinated efforts to undermine the voice of women, children, and LGBTQIA+ in Congress," the letter read.  

"On May 12, 2025, as the National Elections commenced, votes were cast and promptly began to be tallied and ranked. At 2:03 AM, the Gabriela Women’s Party had garnered 252,562 votes, according to data from COMELEC’s transparency media server. However, by 2:20 AM, this number had inexplicably decreased by 49,614 votes," it further stated.

 WRAP: Alleged issues in automated Halalan 2025

Gabriela Party-list first nominee Sarah Elago said this may have an impact on the result of the party-list elections.

"This unexplained reduction raises serious concerns about the integrity and transparency of the electoral process. If votes for a sectoral party representing women and other vulnerable sectors can simply vanish without explanation, it risks disenfranchising not only the candidates but the countless women and marginalized communities whose voices they seek to represent," the letter further stated.

Current Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas raised alarm over the possible loss of "genuine representation" for women in the 20th Congress, since the party is ranked 55th in the partial and unofficial count.

According to the ABS-CBN Research and Verification Unit, the top four party-lists are poised to get three seats, while the fifth and six groups will have two seats each. The next ranked party-lists stand to get one seat each until rank 54 which is currently occupied by PHILRECA, as of May 16.  

"Ang Gabriela Women’s Party ay in danger. In danger po tayo na mawala dito sa nakaraang eleksyon dahil tayo ay nasa 55th place. Ang nararapat talagang gawin ng kababaihan, LGBTQ advocates, children na naniniwala sa Gabriela Women’s party ay dapat maingay, mangalampag," Brosas said in a press conference. (2:12 mark of livestream)

"Disenfranchisement yun, yung overvotes. Yung mga bumoto sa Gabriela na nalaman namin na nalagyan, after nila bumoto, nakalagay overvote yung nalagay. Malinaw po yun na disenfranchisement sa pagboto sa atin," she added.

 Political apathy helps keep bad leaders in power: analyst

Migrante Kanina's Emer De Lina said they received reports that some members were not properly informed about the shift of overseas voting system to online.

The lawmaker cited the "impeccable" track record of Gabriela in Congress ever since it started in 2004.

"Dapat ipagtanggol natin yung boses ng kababaihan at dapat mag-seek lahat ng paraan para ma-proteksyunan ang ating boto. Mag-seek tayo ng lahat ng remedies sa lahat ng isyu," she said. (5 minute mark of livestream)

Bahaghari Chairperson Reyna Valmores Salinas expressed support for Gabriela, which has been helping push the passage of the SOGIESC Equality Bill.  

In the afternoon, Gabriela and several groups trooped to Manila to hold a protest action, urging Comelec to take action on the issues raised.

The protest initially planned to protest in front of the Manila Hotel Tent City, the main venue of Comelec sitting as the National Board of Canvassers.

Police personnel blocked the group, forcing them to instead hold their program along Roxas Boulevard.

"Nandito ang mga kababaihan para singilin ang Comelec ng imbestigasyon sa lahat ng reported anomalies, irregularities na may kinalaman sa 2025 elections. Kabilang na dito yung nawalang boto sa Gabriela sa gitna ng gabi. Hindi tayo nasasapatan sa paliwanag ng Comelec," Elago said.

"Gayundin ang milyon-milyon na overvote. Nasa 3.3 million ang naitalang overvote sa party-list pa lamang. Napalaki ng maaaring epekto nito sa bilang ng boto sa party-list na lumahok sa halalan," she added.

Bam, Kiko wins 'positive', but dynasties dominated Halalan 2025 — Makabayan

Elago likewise called on Comelec to take action on complaints of red-tagging against Gabriela's leaders, members and supporters

"Kaya nandito ang kababaihan. Hindi tayo papayag na mawala ang boses at tanggalin ang boses ng kababaihan," Elago said.

RELATED: