Comelec Chair George Garcia shows a sample of the electronic ballot during the Local Source Code Review of the Automated Election Systems (AES) at the Circuit Corporation One building in Makati city on October 11, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Garcia assured the voting public that there will be no cheating in the coming 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE) in May. 

Garcia made this assurance when asked to comment on Vice President Sara Duterte’s warning on Tuesday night about election cheating. 

In an ambush interview Wednesday, the poll chief said with the use of modern technology and the Automated Counting Machines ( ACMs), the commission can guarantee of zero cheating activities this election. 

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“Ginagarantiya po natin sa lahat na hinding-hindi po mangyayari yung dayaan na maaring nasa isip ng kung sino o ng iilan na kapag hindi sila pinalad sa darating na eleksyon,” Garcia said. 

“Ginagarantiya po ng inyong komisyon na magiging transparent ang halalan upang mapataas natin ang integridad ng ating halalan at the same time ay kilalanin ang mapo-proklama bilang mga tamang dapat maproklama dito sa halalan na ito,” Garcia added. 

VP Duterte, during an ambush interview at Villamor Airbase, warned of massive election cheating in May. 

Duterte said the administration candidates are likely to lose this election because of mounting calls for block voting for the PDP slate. 

"Lumalakas yung block voting ng PDP nine candidates pero sinasabi ko sa inyo kanina mag-ingat kayo sa election cheating, matindi ito," the vice president claimed. 

Garcia explained the commission will not allow cheating to happen and promised to be more transparent. 

“Naunawaan natin ang statement ng ating butihing VP pero ang garantiya ng inyong komisyon sa pamamagitan po ng inyong chairman ay walang dayaan na mangyayari sa halalan at yan ay mapapatunayan namin sa pamamagitan ng paggamit ng makabagong teknolohiya pero open and transparent,”  Garcia said.

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