Groups flag alleged illegal server in transmitted election results

Some groups questioned the alleged illegal server transmission of election returns (ERs) 10 days after the 2025 Philippine elections.

In Sandra Aguinaldo’s Thursday report on “24 Oras,” the Alyansa na Nagkakaisang Mamamayan (ANIM) and Church Leaders Council for National Transformation alleged that the ERs went through a server for consolidation before going to the servers of election watchdogs, dominant majority and minority parties, and media.

Atty. Alex Lacson of ANIM said that from the automated counting machines in the precincts, the ERs went to the central server, back server, and data center, which are all managed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec)

“Itong data center 3, ito ang nagpadala sa PPCRV ng NAMFREL, media server, dominant majority political party, dominant minority political party. So, the presence of this is illegal and unlawful. Itong Data Center 3, ito din yung nagkonsolidate ng all election returns from all precincts nationwide all by itself,” Lacson said.

(The Data Center 3 sends the ERs to the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), media server, dominant majority political party, and dominant minority political party. The presence of this is illegal and unlawful. The Data Center 3 also consolidates all the ERs from all precincts nationwide, all by itself.)

Comelec denied the allegations, saying that from the precincts, the ERs were sent to all without passing through a third party.

“Kahit po sa website namin, alas siete ng gabi, available na po sa website ang lahat ng mga pinapadalang election returns. Ang dali naman po nilang i-verify kung tumutugma yung election returns na nasa website ng Comelec na real time versus yung nakuhang kopya ng election returns na hard copy o yung napikturan sa labas ng presinto.   Wala pong intermediary server. Direct po,” Comelec chairperson Garcia said.

(All the sent ERs are available on our website by 7 p.m. They can easily verify the physical ERs, and the ones on our website are the same. There is no intermediary server. It’s direct.)

The groups also raised concerns about the ballots that were allegedly already shaded when handed to voters, and the mismatched results of the votes and the receipts.

"In the 2019 midterm elections, the total overvotes was 1,170,331.  In the 2025 midterm elections, NAMFREL reported that the total overvote was 17,028,780. Namfrel said that from 2010 to 2022 elections, the overvotes averaged only at 1.5% to 2.5%, but for the 2025 elections, it reached 29.89%," Lacson said.

"Thousands of voters complained that their VVPATs (voter-verified paper audit trails) or voters' receipts did not reflect the list of candidates they voted for. May nadagdag, may nabawas (Some were added while some were removed). Many also complained that the ballots issued to them were pre-shaded or where the names of certain candidates naka-shaded na (already shaded),” he added.

The Comelec said that if voters complained to the election board, then it should be in the official record or could be a part of the election protest.

“The best evidence pa rin, yung mismong balota na hinulog nyo. At bakit walang nag-record sa minutes ng complaint? (the best evidence is the ballot that you input and why there is no record of a complaint in the minutes?)” Garcia said.

“Nire-record po dapat yun eh. Bakit po walang nakapagpa-record? Alam nyo pong pag nag-protesta, ang titignan din lagi, yung mismong minutes. May nagreklamo ba na ang boto niya ay hindi at kumpara doon sa mismong resibo?” he added.

(It should be recorded. If there is an election protest, the Comelec will look into the minutes. Is there a complaint that their votes and the receipt are different?)

During the press conference of the two groups, PPCRV explained that the number of votes can be double-checked through the random manual audit in Pasay City.

Today, election protests were filed before the Comelec since they only have 10 days from the day of the proclamation of elected officials.

Former Cebu City mayor Mike Rama protested his loss against councilor Nestor Archival in the mayoral position. He also questioned the credibility of the automation system.

Rama garnered the third-highest votes, behind incumbent Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/LDF, GMA Integrated News

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