The Certificates of Candidacy and other related documents from different regional offices of the Commission on Elections arrive at the agency's main office in Manila on October 10, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File 

MANILA (UPDATED) — The Armed Forces of the Philippines said Thursday it was conducting background checks on candidates for the 2025 midterm elections.

AFP chief of staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. said this was part of the military’s measures to prevent possible “foreign influence” on the polls.

“Through our intelligence operations, tinitignan po natin ang lahat ng kandidato. Tinitignan po natin ang kanilang background, so meron tayong background check. Kung meron kaming makikita na red flags, we will inform the Comelec (Commission on Elections) about this,” Brawner said during the opening of the National Election Monitoring Action Center at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

“Ayaw natin maulit ang nangyari noong nakaraang eleksyon na may nakalusot na kandidato,” he added. “We are in collaboration with the PNP and Comelec to make sure that we prevent these kinds of things from happening again. So, pinaigting natin ang ating intelligence operations.”

In a statement, AFP emphasized that its intelligence gathering aims to help Comelec in ensuring the integrity of elections and safeguarding national security.

"This initiative is conducted in coordination with the COMELEC and PNP, and focuses on identifying potential security threats arising from foreign interference and malign influence. Any findings will be confidentially relayed to the Comelec for appropriate action," the military said.

Reiterating its non-partisan role, AFP stressed that it hopes to prevent misinterpretation on their actions that are "anchored on impartiality and respect for the democratic process."

Comelec identifies 38 election areas of 'grave concern'

The National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) earlier revealed that dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo or Guo Hua Ping was an “agent of influence” who used her position to influence public opinion or decision-making “to benefit the country that hired her.”

Guo won in the May 2022 elections.

Comelec identifies 38 election areas of 'grave concern'

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said foreign influence on the polls is not limited to the cyberspace.

“Ang foreign funding posibilidad iyon. Hindi naman direct na gagamit 'yun eh, therefore, gagamitin ang pera sa pamimili ng boto para ang kanilang kampanya ay mapursige,” he noted.

‘AUTOMATED COUNTING MACHINES CANNOT BE HACKED’

But Garcia expressed confidence that the automated counting machines that would be used in the May elections could not be hacked.

The Comelec chief explained that the ACM operates as a stand-alone machine with no reception capability and can only transmit data.

The machine is powered by lithium battery that can last up to 72 hours when unplugged, according to Garcia.

“Ang mga makina natin, maipagmamalaki natin, stand-alone siya. Ibig sabihin, hindi siya nakakabit sa anumang kable. Para ‘yan ay maimpluwensyahan mo, kinakailangan nakakabit ‘yan sa something. Kahit walang kuryente, gagana nga ang makina because ang mga lithium battery niyan ay pwedeng gumana ng tatlong araw. So, kahit mawalan ng kuryente, dire-diretso ang mga machine,” Garcia said.

“Pero bago siya mag-transmit ng results, nakapag-imprenta na ng siyam na election returns. Ang election returns, nabigyan na ng kopya ang PPCRV (Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting), Namfrel (National Citizens Movement for Free Elections), si majority and minority parties. So, alam na ng lahat ano ang boto ni A, B and C. Natransmit na at lahat sa headquarters bago pa man magtransmit ng result ang machine,” he continued.

“Hinding-hindi magkakaroon ng hacking,” he said. 

Garcia said this year’s polls would be more transparent.

Comelec bans politicos in distribution of aid during election ban

“Ang lahat ng imahe ng balota na nahulog ng watchers sa maghapon, pag natapos na ang pagtransmit, pagbilang at pagprint ng election returns, pamimigay ito sa lahat. Ipapakita ito sa watchers… bilangin manually ano ang boto ni mayor, ni congressman. Bilangin nila, tumutugma ba sa na-print na election returns at na-transmit na results?” Garcia said.

“More transparent but we will answer the question: Nabilang ba ang boto ko?” he said. 

The Comelec chief said he has sought the assistance of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group and National Bureau of Investigation in ensuring that artificial intelligence- or AI-powered disinformation and misinformation will not emerge as a risk as voters head to the polls.