Comelec Smartmatic execs indicted over computer ‘tweak’

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has ordered the indictment of six personnel of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and its technology provider, Smartmatic, for allegedly tampering with the election body’s transparency server of the May 2016 balloting.

Former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos used the alleged “tweaking” of the transparency server as one of the bases of his election protest against Vice President Leni Robredo.

Interestingly, it was Marcos’ campaign manager, former Abakada party-list Rep. Jonathan de la Cruz who filed the case, which the Manila Prosecutors Office dismissed in September last year.

De la Cruz provided a copy of the DOJ resolution dated June 2 to the media on Wednesday.

Indicted were Smartmatic technical support team head Marlon Garcia and team members Neil Banigued and Mauricio Herrera, and Comelec personnel Rouie Penalba, Nelson Herrera and Frances Mae Gonzales.

They were charged with violation of Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.