Marcos camp questions deferment of audit plea
Bongbong Marcos shows the “quick count” action center set up in his campaign headquarters. NINO JESUS ORBETA/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
The camp of Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. yesterday questioned the deferment by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) of the vice presidential candidate’s request for an audit of the automated election system.
Marcos’ campaign adviser, Abakada Rep. Jonathan dela Cruz said he doubted that a system audit would affect the official canvass.
“It is very unfortunate that the Comelec has decided to defer action on the request of Senator Marcos for a system audit of the transparency and central servers until after the canvassing is concluded,” he said in a statement.
Integrity on the line
Dela Cruz said the Marcos camp could not understand how the system audit could affect the official canvass because all election returns had been transmitted and all COCs (certificates of canvass) had been printed out for canvass.
“The integrity of the whole 2016 elections is on the line and we do not want unresolved questions and issues to linger after the proclamation,” he said.
Marcos has been suggesting that irregularities in the count of votes for the vice presidential race arose because of a change in the data packet for a transparency server on the night of Election Day.
Vulnerability in system
His campaign adviser cited electronically generated COCs in the vice presidential race from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Laguna province, Ilocos Sur province and Cebu City that he claimed showed vulnerability in the system.
“It is our position that whoever will be proclaimed Vice President by the NBOC (national board of canvassers) deserves a clear and unequivocal mandate once he assumes the position. We cannot allow all doubts to linger on our new Vice President which would diminish the stature of his office,” he said.
Dela Cruz said the Marcos camp would take the next legal step to push for the system audit “for the sake of truth and for the millions of Filipinos who cast their votes despite the odds and limitations on May 9.”
