Ched Rick Gatchalian

Article (news)

‘Wala tayong kinakatakot’: Comelec’s Garcia welcomes raps on alleged irregularities during #Halalan2025

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia on Thursday welcomed the criminal complaints filed against him at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) by several bishops and civic leaders regarding the conduct of the May midterm elections.Members of Alayansa ng Nagkakaisang Mamamayan and Church Leaders Council for National Transformation composed of bishops and retired generals on Thursday filed complaints against Garcia at the NBI Anti-Fraud Division in violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act.The complaints are centered on alleged installation of a “man-in-the-middle” intermediary server and using an unauthorized source code during the election process.The group argued that the Comelec changed or substituted the audited software program installed in the automated counting machines from version 3.4.0 to version 3.5.0.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/21/groups-raise-issues-on-comelecs-conduct-of-halalan2025-poll-watchdogs-react-1825">Groups raise issues on Comelec’s conduct of #Halalan2025; poll watchdogs react</a> </div>The group also alleged that the poll body cleaned up and deleted around 5 million “vote discrepancy” without the presence or participation of representatives of any of Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), Namfrel, members of the media, dominant majority political party, and dominant minority political party.Lawyer Alex Lacson, who is among the complainants, said they are not asking for a recount or the nullification of the results of the 2025 midterm elections. Instead, they just want to establish if there was indeed a “manipulation” or “alteration” of the electoral results.“We just want to establish kung mayroong criminal culpability ang Comelec that is why we are inviting the NBI to make this investigation,” said Lacson.“We are also preparing kung mag-convene itong 20th Congress at magkaroon ng bagong Senate committee chairperson ang electoral affairs and reforms committee sa Senado, we will be asking a Senate investigation on this so we can present all our allegations and complaints,” he added.“Finile natin siya sa Anti-Fraud Division ng NBI so may jurisdiction sila kapag ang cybercrime may fraud element.  Dito, we are alleging na may electoral fraud element sa tatlong allegations na sinasabi natin, that’s why finile natin dito,” he said. Garcia said he welcomes the investigation.“Wala tayong kinakatakot, handa tayong humarap at magbigay ng dokumento sa kung sino man po ang mag-iimbestiga. Napakataas din ng tiwala na binibigay natin sa National Bureau of Investigation,” the poll chief said. “Yung mga ganitong klaseng alingasngas… hindi natin ito maitatanggi na may ganyan talaga sapagkat parte ito ng demokrasya. Ang sakin lang, hahabaan na lang natin ang pasensya at pagpapaliwanag, tutal yung mga issue na kanilang ni-raise, nasagot na natin nang paulit-ulit with all due respect,” he added.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/13/wrap-alleged-issues-in-automated-halalan-2025-1638">WRAP: Alleged issues in automated Halalan 2025</a></div>Garcia said they would not hesitate to answer again and again the issues or allegations raised against the conduct of the 2025 midterm elections, noting that this is part of the process in improving the polls. He also denied the alleged changing of a certified software program and other issues, saying the software was even certified by technical authorities.“Yung PPCRV… nandoon sila noong tinest ay 3.5 version sa harapan ng miyembro ng media, sa ibang organisasyon. Sabi nila, kung may nagsasalita na wala doon, paano nila nasabi na hind 3.5 ang nandoon at mismong nadeposito sa Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas,” Garcia said. On the alleged clean up of 5 million votes, Garcia reiterated his response in previous media interviews regarding the matter.“Hindi yan binawasan yung boto na pandaraya, na-reflect ang tunay na bilang– tunay na mga boto. Kaya nabawasan ng 5.1 kasi yung kanilamg sumatutal ay laging nadodoble,” he said.But Lacson was not convinced. He described Garcia’s statements as a “distortion of the truth.”<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/26/makabayan-bloc-seeks-inquiry-into-halalan-2025-issues-1429">Makabayan bloc seeks inquiry into Halalan 2025 issues</a></div>In May, the Comelec said it was prepared to answer all the allegations on the automated election system and other issues related to the 2025 midterm elections,  after lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc filed a resolution in the House of Representatives for a possible congressional probe.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia on Thursday welcomed the criminal complaints filed against him at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) by several bishops and civic leaders regarding the conduct of the May midterm elections.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia on Thursday welcomed the criminal complaints filed against him at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) by several bishops and civic leaders regarding the conduct of the May midterm elections.