Halalan 2025: Comelec begins random manual audit of ballots | ABS-CBN
Welcome, Kapamilya! We use cookies to improve your browsing experience. Continuing to use this site means you agree to our use of cookies. Tell me more!
Halalan 2025: Comelec begins random manual audit of ballots
Halalan 2025: Comelec begins random manual audit of ballots
The Commission on Elections begins its random manual audit of ballots in the 2025 national and local elections on May 14, 2025. Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News
The Commission on Elections begins its random manual audit of ballots in the 2025 national and local elections on May 14, 2025. Job Manahan, ABS-CBN NewsMANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday began its random manual audit of ballots used in this year's midterm elections, as part of its transparency initiative mandated by law.
MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday began its random manual audit of ballots used in this year's midterm elections, as part of its transparency initiative mandated by law.
Comelec said 764 ballot boxes from various voting precincts nationwide — and one from overseas — will undergo the tedious random manual audit, which is expected to last 45 days.
Comelec said 764 ballot boxes from various voting precincts nationwide — and one from overseas — will undergo the tedious random manual audit, which is expected to last 45 days.
Twenty-seven ballot boxes underwent the random manual audit on Wednesday.
Twenty-seven ballot boxes underwent the random manual audit on Wednesday.
More than 200 teachers trained by the Comelec will conduct the audit in a hotel in Pasay City, with verifiers from the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel).
More than 200 teachers trained by the Comelec will conduct the audit in a hotel in Pasay City, with verifiers from the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel).
ADVERTISEMENT
The random manual audit will check the accuracy of the automated counting machine and whether or not the ballots match the results of the election returns, Comelec chairman George Garcia said in a briefing.
The random manual audit will check the accuracy of the automated counting machine and whether or not the ballots match the results of the election returns, Comelec chairman George Garcia said in a briefing.
He said the random manual audit was based on a program whose source code underwent review.
He said the random manual audit was based on a program whose source code underwent review.
Security was strict in the auditing area and only allowed media to observe the process for more than an hour on Wednesday morning.
Security was strict in the auditing area and only allowed media to observe the process for more than an hour on Wednesday morning.
ACCURACY RATE
The election monitor PPCRV said the previous random manual audit had a 99 percent accuracy rate, which means the ballots and the printed election returns matched.
The election monitor PPCRV said the previous random manual audit had a 99 percent accuracy rate, which means the ballots and the printed election returns matched.
It said it would be unacceptable if this year's random manual audit were lower than the 99-percent threshold.
It said it would be unacceptable if this year's random manual audit were lower than the 99-percent threshold.
ADVERTISEMENT
Tammy Lipana, a trustee at PPCRV, said it was important for the public to monitor the audit process so they would know that the ballots read by the automated counting machine were verified by a human.
Tammy Lipana, a trustee at PPCRV, said it was important for the public to monitor the audit process so they would know that the ballots read by the automated counting machine were verified by a human.
The public and stakeholders could watch the live feed of the random manual audit on Comelec's social media accounts.
The public and stakeholders could watch the live feed of the random manual audit on Comelec's social media accounts.
The poll body said the public is welcome to visit the live viewing site of the random manual audit in Citadines Hotel in Pasay City.
The poll body said the public is welcome to visit the live viewing site of the random manual audit in Citadines Hotel in Pasay City.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
