No proof of vote shaving, padding: Philippine polls panel

MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network): There is no proof of any vote shaving or vote padding in the recently-concluded May polls, Commission on Elections (Comelec) acting spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco assured the public Wednesday (May 25).

Laudiangco was asked about the possibility of a “massive vote shaving” as claimed by Bayan Muna Representative Ferdinand Gaite.

“Up to this point, we have received no proof of any vote shaving. In fact, this election was so transparent that within a matter of three hours, 80 per cent of all the election returns have been transmitted to the transparency server,” he responded on ANC’s Headstart.

The acting spokesperson noted that poll watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting has not found any fraud in the elections.

The match rate of the random manual audit and the election returns meanwhile is at 99 per cent, added Laudiangco.

Citing these factors, he said the Comelec is firm that the elections are free of fraud.

“We maintain that the elections is free of fraud, no vote shaving or vote padding for any sorts and the people can prove that their votes had been counted and canvassed by the both of the National Board of Canvassers and being counted by National Board of Canvassers for president and vice president,” he said.

Based on the partial and unofficial count, the presumptive president is former senator Ferdinand Bongbong' Marcos Jr with 31.1 million votes.

Marcos’ running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, is the presumptive vice president with 31.5 million votes.