‘Comelec 35’ asks Filipinos to keep watch over automated elections

The computer programmers and technicians who walked out of the Commission on Elections' Quick Count center following the snap elections in 1986 have called on Filipinos to be watchful and ensure the integrity of the national and local elections in May, GMA News' "24 Oras" reported on Tuesday.

The walkout happened after the discrepancies in the tallies. While the data showed Corazon Aquino leading the polls, the main tally board showed then President Ferdinand Marcos winning the elctions.

Their protest was one of the events that triggered the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution that ousted former President Ferdinand Marcos and installed Corazon Aquino in his place.

During a reunion, the group said that if they could stand up for honest elections in in 1986, there's no reason for Filipinos not to do the same in the coming polls.

"Yung integridad na ang tao mayroong kakayahan na mag-desisyon kung ano gusto niya gawin, at kami ganoon ang nangyari," Mario Lavin said.

The report said the Marcos government tried to coerce the group into admitting that they made a mistake when they noticed discrepancies.

"Naiiyak pa rin kami sa kwentuhan kasi yung fear, frustration na ginamit ka," Jane Rosales Yap said. -Jessica Bartolome/NB, GMA News