Imee Marcos says hybrid elections system needed

Senator Imee Marcos on Sunday said a hybrid elections system—part-manual, part automated elections—is needed. 

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Marcos, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People's Participation, indicated a preference for a more transparent election system in which the voter could see what happens to his or her ballot when it is placed inside the counting machine and the votes are processed.

“Naniniwala ako na kailangan ay i-hybrid… Wala tayong talaan, wala tayong ebidensiya na hawak kapag may protesta sa pagkakaiba ng ER sa presinto at sa city o munisipyo na nakikita ng tao,” she said.

(I believe we need hybrid [elections system]. We do not have a tally, no evidence on hand if there is a protest when there is a difference between the [data on the] election return and the figures seen by the public in the city or municipality.) 

“I think that’s a good way to generate public confidence. Kasi nakakanerbiyos rin dahil sinusubo mo sa machine. Marami rin reports lalo na sa ating mga OFW, ‘yung ibinoto daw nila hindi naman ‘yun ang lumabas sa resibo. So, there’s a level of distrust kung puro papel machine ang generated, ang papel na pinanghahawakan,” she added.

(It can be nerve-racking because you will feed the ballot into the machine. There were reports especially among our overseas Filipino workers that the names they voted for did not appear on the vote receipts. So there's a level of distrust if we will only use machines generating paper receipts.)

The senator noted that highly developed and technical countries went back to manual counting because there was no conclusive actual vote count evidence in automated elections.

“May ilang bansa na bumalik sa manual count kahit na sila ay highly developed dahil walang pinanghahawakan na actual count na ebidensya,” she said.

(Some countries went back to manual count even if they are highly developed due to the lack of physical evidence of actual count.)

Moreover, Marcos said she is eyeing to expand early voting for indigenous groups, senior citizens, persons with disabilities and pregnant women.

Barangay elections

Meanwhile, Marcos stressed that she would look into the pros and cons of the conduct of barangay ang Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections this year.

“Naka-extend na 'yan ng ilang beses. Tignan natin kung ano ang pros and cons kapag ipinagpaliban ang barangay at SK elections ngayong taon,” she said.

(That was already extended many times. Let us see what are the pros and cons of postponing the barangay and SK elections this year.)

“Because we need new SK. Kasi 'yung iba tumanda na. 'Yung iba, nag-aral na sa ibang lugar. 'Yung iba nagtatrabaho na sa ibang bansa… Kaya talagang kailangan pag-usapan maigi,” she added.

(Some already became overaged. Others pursued studies elsewhere. Still others worked abroad. So we really need to talk about this.)

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner George Garcia earlier said they will start in June the preparations for the December 2022 barangay and SK elections despite calls for its postponement.

Garcia made the remark following the statement of House Majority Leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez that more than P8 billion worth of savings could be generated if the barangay elections this year would be postponed.

Romualdez suggested that such funds could instead be allocated for COVID-19 response and economic stimulus, and provide aid especially for those who suffered from the pandemic.

Vote buying

Marcos also believes that vote buying was rampant during Eleksyon 2022 and no one has been convicted yet.

“Sang-ayon ako diyan. Talamak talaga ang vote buying. Kinakailangan talagang padaliin ang panghuhuli niyan… Hindi naman sikreto 'yun at iisang lugar kundi all over the Philippines,” she said.

(I agree. Vote buying was rampant. Those behind it should be immediately apprehended. This is not a secret and neither does this happen in just one area but all over the Philippines.)

She also alleged that vote buying happens through online payment platforms.

“Marami pa rin na hindi face-to-face. Nag-GCash na lang at nag-PayMaya. Padala na lang ng padala. Talaga hindi tama ito at hindi pantay-pantay para sa mga walang may kaya,” Marcos stated.

(Many were not done face-to-face. They used GCash or PayMaya. They just sent [the payment electronically]. This is not right and it is not fair for those [candidates] who do not have money.)

Further, the senator said there are still many complaints regarding the recent elections such as the defective vote counting machines.

The Comelec has earlier initiated its own probe into the malfunctioning vote counting machines and SD cards.

Comelec acting spokesperson Rex Laudiangco said the poll body had begun its own investigation even before President Rodrigo Duterte called for a probe into the allegations of election fraud.

Duterte said then that an investigation will erase the doubts of the public even though he believes that no cheating occurred. —KG, GMA News