Recent midterm polls credible despite Duterte’s remarks vs Smartmatic: Palace

May 31, 2019

Malacanang said on Friday President Rodrigo Duterte's latest remarks against Smartmatic did not mean the recent midterm elections were not credible.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Commission on Elections should "take seriously" Duterte's suggestion to dispose Smartmatic.

"The President’s latest remarks on Smartmatic does not mean that the just concluded elections is not honest nor credible. It is," he said.

In a speech before the Filipino community in Japan on Thursday night, Duterte advised the Commission on Elections to dispose the services of Smartmatic and look for a new one, which is "free of fraud."

He had said the opposition Liberal Party senatorial bets as well as the administration candidates in the recent polls have complained about cheating, thus, "creating an environment of hostile attitude."

With the latest statement, some quarters wondered if Duterte was admitting that the recent polls were marred with irregularities.

"President’s remarks is a response to some concerns raised by both the opposition, the administration supporters as well as civic groups relative to the previous and present elections on certain technical glitches that precipitate questions on the technological competence of Smartmatic," Panelo said.

Panelo recalled that in 2016 presidential elections, there were reports of about three million votes were taken away from then candidate Duterte.

"The opposition candidates have been heard to complain that they could have gotten more votes in the last elections, not necessarily enough to win the senate seats, but not as low as the official turn out. Comelec said about two million votes were invalidated because of overvotes," he said.

Panelo, also chief presidential legal counsel, said Duterte is not comfortable with those allegations that "produce whiff of fraud or delay in the announcing of the election results."

The President wants that the future elections will not be subjected to the same aforementioned concerns, he said.

"The Comelec should take seriously the suggestion of the President, for after all it should be the first one that should be fiercely protective of its image being the constitutional body mandated to safeguard the sanctity of the ballots," he said.

Comelec tapped Smartmatic starting in the 2010 automated elections.

Since then, there were were always allegations of cheating. But so far, nothing has been proven. Celerina Monte/DMS