MANILA—The National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) called for the manual counting of votes at precincts and other adjustments to ensure transparency in the upcoming May 2022 elections.

" ’Pag automated (ang bilangan), walang nakaka-kita kung paano binilang. Walang witness ’yung pagbibilang. Pagka-shade mo ng balota mo, ifi-feed mo, hindi mo alam kung ano’ng nangyari," Namfrel president Gus Lagman told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.

Even though the manual counting of votes could take up to a day to finish, Lagman said such a conduct would dispel doubts about the results of the elections.

He added that the final testing and sealing of vote counting machines should be done three days before the election, not the current standard of one week. The Namfrel president said this would minimize chances that the machines would be tampered with.

"The closer it is to election day, the safer. Kasi baka wala nang panahon para baguhin, di ba?" Lagman said.

The Namfrel added that it was important to dispel doubts about the integrity of the 2022 elections by resolving issues such as the use of F2 Logistics, a firm reportedly owned by Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy, to deliver election equipment.

Uy was recently seen in a photo with presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., and is also one of President Rodrigo Duterte's top campaign donors in 2016.

"Cause of concern kasi kung may delicadeza, dapat hindi ganon ang ginagawa," Lagman said. "Para hindi mag-duda ang mga tao. Mahirap kalabanin yang duda, eh."

• READ: Comelec assures public it will closely watch F2 Logistics
• READ: Comelec maintains it wasn’t hacked amid senator allegations