Comelec to release Random Manual Audit results Friday

 News
Jun 272013
 
The Commission on Elections will release the results of the Random Manual Audit (RMA) of 234 precincts in the May 13, 2013 midterm polls on Friday, June 28, at 10 a.m.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez made the announcement in a post on his Twitter account Thursday.

RMA committee head Henrietta de Villa hopes that the findings of the audit would convince those who are skeptical of the results of the recent polls.

“We hope it helps since that is the purpose of the Random Manual Audit. It’s just like the final examination of the conduct of the polls if it was accurate and credible,” said De Villa, who is also chairperson of elections watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV).
 
An RMA, which checks for discrepancies between the manual count and the automated count, is required under Section 24 of Republic Act 9369 (Automated Elections System Law), which states that in automated elections, there shall be a random manual audit in one precinct per congressional district, randomly chosen by the Comelec in each province and city. — BM, GMA News

Comelec releases final tally of senators

 News
Jun 062013
 
Comelec releases final tally of senators

The Commission on Elections (Comelec), sitting as the National Board of Canvassers, has released its final tally of senatorial candidates according to its official canvassing of election results. In his blog, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez quoted the NBOC’s resolution as saying that “while there are still remaining uncanvassed votes, the same will no longer affect the ranking of the winning candidates for Senator of the Republic of the Philippines.” The rankings of the top 12 remain unchanged. Grace Poe    20,337,327Loren Legarda    18,661,196Alan Cayetano    17,580,813Francis Escudero    17,502,358Nancy Binay    16,812,148Edgardo Angara Jr. 16,005,564Bam Aquino     15,534,465Aquilino Pimentel III    14,725,114Antonio Trillantes IV    14,127,722Cynthia Villar    13,822,854JV Ejercito    13,684,736Gregorio Honasan    13,211,424 Richard Gordon    12,501,991Miguel Zubiri    11,821,134Jack Enrile    11,543,024Ramon Magsaysay    11,356,739Risa Hontiveros    10,944,843Edward Hagedorn    8,412,840Eduardo Villanueva    6,932,985Jamby Madrigal    6,787,744Mitos Magsaysay    5,620,429Teddy Casiño    4,295,151Ernesto Maceda    3,453,121Tingting Cojaungco    3,152,939Samson Alcantara    1,240,104JC Delos Reyes    1,238,280Greco Belgica    1,128,924Ramon Montano    1,040,293Ricardo Penson    1,040,131Rizalito David    1,035,971Christian Seneres    706,198Marwill Llasos    701,390Baldomero Falcone    665,845 The top 12 senators were proclaimed by the Comelec barely a week after the elections. Poll chief Sixto Brillantes Jr. said the commission proclaimed the winners based on “projections” than actual votes cast. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab/BM, GMA News

Comelec taps Boy Bawal to go after campaign violators

 News
Feb 182013
 
Comelec taps Boy Bawal to go after campaign violators

To effectively reach out to the public, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has tapped “Boy Bawal” to inform both the electorate and the candidates the prohibited acts and materials during the campaign period and on Election Day. The two-minute video started with Boy Bawal, with this supporters carrying flaglets, reminding the candidates to follow the election rules or be reprimanded by him. Boy Bawal then showed the campaign DON’T’s such as oversized posters; campaign materials posted in public vehicles, trees and public structures; and vote-buying, among others. Other prohibited acts are listed on www.mycomelec.tv.    At the end of the video, Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. urged the public: “Umpisa na ang kampanya, kapag may nakita kayong mga bawal, pakisumbong niyo sa amin dito sa Comelec.” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said they decided to use a regular person as Boy Bawal “to make the advertisement more relatable, more entertaining and therefore more likely to be remembered and shared.” “Virality of the material was a major consideration,” he said in a text message to GMA News Online. The video was produced in-house by the Comelec’s Education and Information Department, which is under Jimenez. The poll body sent a request to all networks for the airing of the ‘Boy Bawal Ad’ as part of the Comelec space and time for the May 13 polls to be utilized exclusively for public information dissemination on election related-concerns as stated in Section 13 of Comelec Resolution No. 9615. The video can also be viewed on Comelec’s Read More …

For the first time, media will be allowed to vote ahead of Election Day

 News
Feb 132013
 
For the first time, media will be allowed to vote ahead of Election Day

For the first time, media personnel who will not be able to vote on election day due to work will now be allowed to cast their votes ahead of the elections. In Resolution 9637, the Commission on Elections said media practitioners, even the technical and support staff who are actively engaged in information gathering and news reporting, are now entitled to avail of the local absentee voting. The resolution was promulgated on February 13. Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said they will be coming out with application forms soon, adding that they expect between 10,000 to 20,000 media workers to avail of the local absentee voting. Among those who can avail of the local absentee voting are print journalists, television journalists, photojournalists, online journalists, radio journalists, documentary makers and those in television/ radio production who are duly registered voters. For the May 13 polls, the local absentee voters can only vote for 12 senators and  a party-list group.  In the past, only government officials and employees, members of the National Police and Armed Forces who are temporarily assigned to perform election duties in places where they are not registered voters, are allowed to participate in local absentee voting. The voting will be held from April 28, 29, 30 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Members of the media can vote at the Comelec office where they filed their applications while for the others, the AFP and PNP, head of office, supervisor or commander should designate the place of voting not later Read More …

Comelec to release ad urging public to report campaign violations

 News
Feb 082013
 
Comelec to release ad urging public to report campaign violations

The Commission on Elections is set to release an advertisement urging the people to report campaign violations or file complaint against candidates. “Meron ako[ng] [i]lalabas na ads. Ang sasabihin ko, isumbong mo sa Comelec. Hindi kanino man, isumbong mo sa Comelec,” poll chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said Friday. “Mag-uumpisa na ang campaign sa February 12, meron ng mga violation sa campaign. Kung meron kayong makita, isumbong nyo sa Comelec at kami ang bahala sa kanila,” he added. Further, Brillantes said the public can report violations by calling the Comelec and the poll body will check if the complaint has basis. “Kung gusto mong magpresent ng evidence, sa hearing na. Magsumbong ka lang, pwede mong itawag, kami na ang bahala. Ite-check namin kung may basis, aaksyunan namin. Ibig sabihin, pag may sumbong, titingnan namin, ipapa-check natin sa election officer,” he said. In a separate interview, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the public can tweet the picture of the supposed violation to the poll body. He said the complainant needs to give his name, contact number, location and other details of the violation. He said these information are needed so they will be able to get in touch with the person but it will be kept confidential unless the complainant himself files the case. “The whole idea here is to get the public to report these violations. Basically, this is social media versus guns, goons and gold. That’s the philosophy we are working on,” said Jimenez. — Amita Legaspi/RSJ, GMA News