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Watchdog wants Imee to resign from Senate committee on poll reforms

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Sen. Imee Marcos speaks with Commission on Elections Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan after the hearing of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation held inside a restaurant in Intramuros, Manila on March 17, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/03/28/20220317-comelec-senate-hearing-electoral-reforms-gc-1420.jpg"/><figcaption>Sen. Imee Marcos speaks with Commission on Elections Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan after the hearing of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation held inside a restaurant in Intramuros, Manila on March 17, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div><p><br/>MANILA — A poll watchdog on Monday urged Sen. Imee Marcos to resign as head of Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms amid her claim of a &quot;serious security breach&quot; at the elections system provider Smartmatic.</p><p>&quot;Two reasons: first is delicadeza and second is conflict of interest,&quot; Kontra Daya convenor Danilo Arao told ANC&#x27;s &quot;Rundown&quot;.</p><p>&quot;Her role is very important because we don&#x27;t want any legislative inquiry pertaining to the elections to be having some bad taste in the mouth, in the eyes of the people,&quot; he added.</p><p>Marcos&#x27; brother, former Sen. Ferdinand &quot;Bongbong&quot; Marcos Jr., is running for the nation&#x27;s top post in the May 9 polls.</p><p>&quot;We believe that her being a sister of the presidential frontrunner would pose a clear conflict of interest,&quot; Arao said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/21/22/smartmatic-system-not-hacked-after-imee-marcos-claim">Smartmatic: System not hacked after Imee Marcos claim</a></li></ul><p>Smartmatic has maintained its system was not hacked.</p><p>“This is the reason why Smartmatic humbly requests that these statements and alleged data be verified first. Because right now, it is just a source of speculation based on an anonymous group posting screenshots of data and photos on Facebook, which are not verified, and are very possibly fabricated or manipulated,” Smartmatic lawyer Christopher Louie Ocampo had said.</p><p>The firm reiterated that the source code and software of the Automated Election System delivered to the Commission on Elections “underwent exhaustive audits in the country and internationally” and that it went through “a rigorous review, led by the Comelec with the active participation of experts and representatives of political parties&quot;.</p><p>Marcos is also seen in some videos with several references that appear to be aimed at Vice President Leni Robredo, a rival of her brother, said Arao.</p><p>&quot;She may be doing it as a concern citizen or as part of the Marcos clan. But either way, it also leaves a bad taste in the mouth,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;I think this is a reminder to the Marcos camp they should consult a dictionary as to what delicadeza means,&quot; he added.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/25/22/guanzon-smartmatic-machines-accurate">Amid Marcos claims, Guanzon says Smartmatic machines ‘accurate’</a></li></ul><p>There is no immediate reaction from Marcos on Arao&#x27;s remarks.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/17/22/sotto-imee-marcos-flag-smartmatic-breach">READ: Sotto, Imee Marcos flag &#x27;breach&#x27; in Smartmatic ops</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1978839" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Kontra Daya urged Sen. Imee Marcos to resign as head of Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms amid her claim of a 'serious security breach' at Smartmatic.