Comelec: Random manual audit of Eleksyon 2022 votes maintains 99.9% accuracy

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said its random manual audit of votes maintained a 99.9% accuracy rate as more ballot boxes were checked.

At a press conference, Comelec acting spokesperson Rex Laudiangco said that 163 of the 757 randomly selected clustered polling precincts have been audited.

“For the random manual audit, as of May 23, 4 p.m., they had already audited 163 ballot boxes and they are processing now 50. And they have received 737 out of 757. And the match rate remains at 99.9%,” he said.

The random manual audit was led by the Comelec, poll watchdogs like LENTE, an association of certified public accountants, and the Philippine Statistics Authority.

A random manual audit checks the performance of vote counting machines (VCMs) and examines ballots to validate accuracy.

Based on a separate audit by poll watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), Laudiangco said 77,786 of the 78,894 collected election returns (ERs) showed a 100% accuracy rate.

The assessment on 339 ERs are still for validation, he added.

No fraud

In a press release, incoming Executive Secretary Atty. Vic Rodriguez, Marcos’ chief of staff, said the random manual audit of votes has indicated that the digitally transmitted election results echoed what voters preferred on the ballots.

“We welcome the results of the random manual audit of votes that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reported out. We believe that the high accuracy rate proves that the recent elections were not marred by fraud as some sectors have been claiming," Rodriguez said.

"The RMA results should erase any doubt regarding the election results. The people have spoken and they have chosen presumptive President-elect Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos to be the country’s 17th president,” he added.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, urged sectors which are trying to sow doubts on the results of the elections "to stop fanning divisiveness and animosity and instead allow the incoming administration to work productively."

“I appeal to those who keep on pursuing this divisiveness, the people have spoken. The Filipino people have spoken and an overwhelming majority has voted President-elect Bongbong Marcos and Vice President-elect Inday Sara Duterte into office as President and Vice President. Learn to respect the will of the Filipino people,” he said.— DVM, GMA News