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At this point, information circulating on social media is still considered “fake news,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia noted.
Boy Santos, file
MANILA, Philippines — Reports of vote buying in Hong Kong are being verified by the Commission on Elections following a campaign rally there attended by former president Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Sara Duterte.
At this point, information circulating on social media is still considered “fake news,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia noted.
The poll body, he said, is communicating with the Philippine embassy in Hong Kong to check if some Filipinos are willing to testify that they were offered money during the rally.
Based on the unverified reports, Garcia said attendees were given HK$200 each.
If the crime was committed outside the country, Garcia said the Comelec may not have jurisdiction, but the poll body must get information since the issue is vote buying.
Meanwhile, the source code for overseas voting in the May midterm polls has been received by the Comelec.
Garcia said the source code will be deposited to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) within the month.
Garcia received the source code yesterday from international firm Pro V&V Inc., which conducted the trusted build for overseas voting on Saturday.
Pro V&V is expected to issue certification to the Technical Evaluation Committee by mid-April.
The source codes of automated counting machines, the election management system and consolidated canvassing system have been deposited with the BSP.
As for local absentee voting, the Comelec has extended the application period to March 17 due to numerous requests, while verification of LAV registrants has been extended to April 11.
Transmittal of the list of qualified local absentee voters, local absentee ballots and other election forms has been reset to April 27.
Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and media – whose duty falls on election day – can avail themselves of local absentee voting.
Around 90 percent of ballots required for the midterm elections have been printed, Garcia said yesterday.
Eight million ballots have yet to be printed, he noted.
