PPCRV recommends 25% ballot shading in next elections

The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) on Monday recommended bringing back the 25% shading threshold in the next Philippine elections.

This came after PPCRV received reports of mismatches between the actual votes and the receipts from the automated counting machines (ACM).

PPCRV spokesperson Ana Singson told reporters that the Catholic-led watchdog received reports that smudges in the ballots affect the reading of the ACM.

“It seems that lowering the threshold to 15% is too low,” Singson said. “We think at 15%, it’s a little too sensitive. It reads even the littlest mark, even the littlest smudge print, which are not supposed to be counted as ballots.”

She noted that the 25% shading threshold was used in the 2022 elections.

“We have full confidence that the RMA (random manual audit) will be able to give us the results and tell us if the machine is accurate or not,” Singson said.

The Commission on Elections had said that at least 762 randomly selected clustered precincts and one online post casting ballots through the Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS) will be part of the RMA for the May polls.

The test will start on May 13 and will last for 45 days.—LDF, GMA Integrated News

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