Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia at a press briefing ahead of the proclamation of winning partylist groups at the Manila Hotel on May 19, 2025.  Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

HALALAN -PARTYLIST

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178790409887120250519-comelec-george-garcia-JC4251.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia at a press briefing ahead of the proclamation of winning partylist groups at the Manila Hotel on May 19, 2025. <em> Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Commission on Elections signed agreements with government agencies and election watchdogs for the conduct of the random manual audit for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliamentary Elections.</p><p>Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia led the signing of cooperative partnerships with the Philippine Statistics Authority and the Department of Education as well as accredited citizens’ arm Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and National Citizens&#x27; Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL).</p><p>A random manual audit is mandated by law to determine whether the automated count of the Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) is accurate through manual verification.</p><p>It also “detects discrepancies between machine-counted and manual counts and ensure public confidence in the electoral process,” according to Comelec.</p><p>“Napakahalaga sapagkat ito &#x27;yung magsasabi kung tama ba lahat yung mga makina, &#x27;yung pagbilang nila at the same time, tama po &#x27;yung sistema, proseso na ipinatupad natin,” Garcia told reporters in an ambush interview after the ceremonial signing.</p><p>“Kasi kahit pa nasagawa namin ang lahat ng mga test at saka nakakuha tayo ng international certification pero ‘yung random manual audit, napakababa naman ng porsyento na tumutugma ang result manually counted at saka ‘yung machine, eh balewala rin po ang automated election natin,” he added.</p><p>The PPCRV and NAMFREL also underscored the importance of such audit to ensure the conduct of a clean, honest and fair elections.</p><p>“This agreement reflects our shared commitment to transparency, accountability, and in peaceful and credible electoral process,” said PPCRV trustee Agnes Gervacio, noting high accuracy rate of the results in the 2025 elections.</p><p>“’Yung pagsasagawa ng random manual audit, alam natin ‘yung kahalagahan nito dahil kailangan makumpirma natin na tama ang bilang nung mga makina kaya importanteng maisagawa ito,” NAMFREL chairperson Angel Averia Jr. said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>CANCELLED COC, PARTY REG</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Two weeks ahead of the September 14 polls, the Comelec en banc cancelled the certificate of candidacy of Anwar Salipada Alamada as 5th District Rep of Maguindanao del Sur after it denied his motion to reconsider and affirmed an earlier decision by the poll body’s second division granting a petition to cancel his COC.</p><p>The second division earlier found that Alamada’s declaration of residency in his COC “constitutes a false material representation intended to mislead the electorate and the Commission.”</p><p>The Comelec en banc also cancelled the registration and accreditation of Moro Ako Party as regional political parliamentary party for the upcoming elections, citing material misrepresentation on its submitted list of chapter offices and addresses.</p><p>Garcia clarified that the decisions are still appealable before the Supreme Court.</p><p>“Kung sila ay makakakuha ng TRO [temporary restraining order], wala naman pong mawawala dahil nandun pa rin ang pangalan, ang mismong partido sa atin pong mga balota,” he said.</p><p>“Paano kapag naiboto sila? Kung maging final ang desisyon ng Comelec at walang TRO mula sa Korte Suprema, lahat ng boto sa kanila ay stray,” Garcia noted. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f_VU3KvAtFE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>A random manual audit is mandated by law to determine whether the automated count of the Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) is accurate through manual verification.</p>

A random manual audit is mandated by law to determine whether the automated count of the Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) is accurate through manual verification.

Comelec inks agreements with watchdogs, agencies for BARMM polls audit

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Comelec inks agreements with watchdogs, agencies for BARMM polls audit

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 28, 2026 04:06 PM PHT

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BARMM elections

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