PDP-Laban lawyer renews call to stop online voting

The legal counsel of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) stressed anew his position against the implementation of an online voting system for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the May 2025 elections.

Lawyer Israelito Torreon said online voting lacks a legal foundation.  He also raised complaints from some OFWs about difficulties in accessing the system to register ahead of online voting.

“There is no law yet that allows for online voting,” he said in a news conference aired live on the Facebook page of senatorial candidate Jimmy Bondoc.

“The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is not Congress. It cannot craft laws to implement online voting.”

He cited provisions in Republic Acts 9369 and 10590, explaining that the current laws only permit in-person and mail-in voting for overseas voters.

Section 28 of RA 10590, he added, merely authorizes Comelec to explore other voting methods—not enforce them—without congressional approval.

Comelec earlier said it is prepared the answer the petition in court.

Torreon also said some OFWs have raised concerns over the challenges they experienced in registering online.

“Marami na pong nagtangkang magpa-register pero karamihan sa kanila ay hindi nagiging successful. ‘Yan ang reklamo nila. Bigla na lang hindi makapag-register, tapos magla-lock na ang server. Hindi na sila makapasok," he said.

“After makuha daw ‘yung data nila, hindi na sila maka-access. And this is a serious concern,” Torreon added. “Later on, results would come out showing that some who lost access have already ‘voted’—which is a grave violation.”

The PDP-Laban legal counsel proposed creating an online mechanism to track registered voters who can no longer access their accounts.

He said the database would help identify affected individuals and allow PDP-Laban to file appropriate motions with the Commission on Elections, and if necessary, elevate the matter to the Supreme Court.

Despite the ongoing legal challenge to the online voting system, Torreon strongly encouraged OFWs to participate in the voting process.

“Kahit pinupuntirya po namin ang online voting in a legal way, kailangan pa rin po kayong bumoto. Kapag hindi kayo bumoto, wala kayong legal standing to file a complaint," he said.

Last week, PDP-Laban party filed a petition before the Supreme Court to stop the Comelec from implementing online voting for OFWs in the upcoming 2025 midterm elections.

The 122-page petition for certiorari and prohibition filed on April 3 sought a temporary restraining order and a writ of preliminary injunction to compel the poll body to maintain manual counting and on-site canvassing for overseas voting.

The pre-enrollment for online voting via the Comelec Voting Portal began on March 20, 2025.  The 30-day overseas voting period is from April 13, 2025 until May 12, 2025 at 7 p.m.—Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA Integrated News

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