Comelec says alleged hash code mismatch 'fake news'

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Sunday described the claim of a local candidate alleging a source code mismatch on the automated counting machines (ACMs) for Eleksyon 2025 and audit reports of the poll body as “fake news.”

Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia did not name the candidate, but lawyer Jeryll Harold Respicio, a candidate for vice mayor in Reina Mercedes, Isabela, posted a video on social media alleging discrepancies between the version of the hash codes indicated on the audit reports posted on the Comelec website and the version used in the ACMs.

“Nakakabahala po. Kaka-check ko lang ang kaka-upload ng Comelec audit report na source code review, hinanap ko po dun ang hash code na naka-install na software sa ACMs noong final testing and sealing day pero sa audit report nila hanggang sa 3.4 version. Ang naka-install sa ACMs ay 3.5 version kaya ang hash code na nasa machine ay 0438. Ang 0438 na hash code ay wala sa mga hash codes na nakalabas sa audit report,” said Respicio. 

(This is disturbing. I just checked the uploaded Comelec audit report if the source code review, I was looking for the hash code that was installed in the ACM software during final testing and sealing day but in their audit report it was only the 3.4 version. Those installed in the ACMs is the 3.5 version so the hash code in the machine is 0438. The 0438 hash code is not among the hash codes contained in the audit report.)

“Ibig sabihin ang naka-install sa ACMs na version 3.5 na may hash code na 0438 ay ‘di kasama sa na-audit ng technical evaluation committee ng Comelec,” he said. 

(This means the 3.5 version with the 0438 hash code was not included in the audit of the technical evaluation committee.)

According to Garcia, the hash code presented on the social media video was the one used in the final trusted build and not those during the local source code review (LSCR). 

“’Yung kumakandidato na yun ang original na nagsabi na nakakabit sa internet ang aming makina ay nagsasabi na mali ang hash code, hindi niya po nakita. Ang nakita niyang sinasabi na hash code, ‘yun ang nandun noong trusted build,” he told reporters. 

(The candidate who earlier said the ACMs were connected to the internet is now alleging hash code mismatch, he did not see. The hashcode that he indicated was during the trusted build.)

“’Yung final na nasa local source code review, yun ang hash code and in fact, yan ang pinakita natin nung dinebunk ang fake news na yan,” Garcia said.

(The hash code used in the local source code review is the final one. In fact, we presented that when we debunked the fake news he was spreading.)

Election watchdog Kontra Daya expressed concern over Respicio’s claims, saying it “raises significant concerns about the integrity of the elections”. 

Comelec, in a separate statement, said there was no code mismatch. 

“Walang dapat ikabahala ang ating mga kababayan bukas dahil ang gamit na sistema ng ACM ay dumaan sa tamang proseso ng review, trusted build, at audit ng iba’t-ibang eksperto at mga organisasyon sa larangan ng Information Technology,” the poll body chief said. 

(Our countrymen should not be worried because the systems used in the ACMs underwent the correct process, trusted build, and other audit processes from different experts and organizations in the field of Information Technology.)

“Pinaaalalahanan ang lahat na ang pagpapakalat ng false, alarming information  ay isang Election Offense  sa ilalim ng Section 261(z)(11) ng Omnibus Election Code,” Garcia warned. 

(We would like to remind that spreading false, alarming information may be considered an election offense under Section 261(z)(11) of the Omnibus Election Code.)

In reply, Respicio said, "Wrong si Chairman Garcia. Yung nasa video ay yung nasa source code review, which is version 3.4, na may sariling hash. Iba yung nasa makina, na 3.5, na may sariling hash din. Pag magkaiba ang hash, magkaiba ang software. Chairman Garcia does not know what he is talking about."

(Chairman Garica is wrong. What's in the video is what's in the source code review, which is version 3.4, which has its own hash. The machine, which is version 3.5, has its own hash. When the hashes are different, the software is different.) — RF/BM, GMA Integrated News

For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.