Protester calls for boycott of 2025 elections, says they’re ‘rigged’
MANILA, Philippines — As the filing of candidacy ends on Tuesday, a protester stood amidst supporters of aspirants outside the Manila Hotel Tent City and called for a boycott of the 2025 midterm elections.
Holding a microphone and wearing a placard around his neck, retired overseas Filipino worker Ronnie Amoroso said that the 2025 elections are rigged.
“Ngayon tatakbo pa kayo sa eleksyon na ito? Nagsasayang lang kayo ng pagod. Nagsasayang kayo ng inyong mga enerhiya. Nagsasayang kayo ng inyong mga pera. Dayaan, luto na ang eleksyon ng midterm elections,” an angered Amoroso said.
(Now, will you still run in this election? You are just wasting your time. You are wasting your energy. You are wasting your money. The midterm elections are already rigged.)
Furthermore, Amoroso said that political dynasties are the reason for corruption and poverty, citing prominent political clans in the country.
“Lahat sila mga political dynasty na siyang nagpapatakbo sa bansang Pilipinas na siyang dahilan ng ating kahirapan (These political dynasties that run the country cause corruption),” he noted.
Article continues after this advertisement“Kaya kami ay nananawagan boycott ang 2025 midterm elections kasi luto na ang eleksyon. Ginamitan nila ng Miru,” he added.
Article continues after this advertisement(We are calling for a boycott of the 2025 midterm elections because it’s rigged. They used Miru.)
Miru Systems is the automated elections systems provider for the 2025 elections. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Miru inked a P17.8 billion contract for the delivery of automated counting machines and other election-related materials.
Amoroso also claimed that the elections cannot be trusted, referencing a petition filed by former Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice to the Supreme Court (SC) to nullify the contract of Comelec and Miru and their partners for the 2025 elections, arguing that the contract violated provisions of Republic Act 7369 or the Automated Election Law.
The high court previously ruled that Comelec “committed grave abuse of discretion” in disqualifying Smartmatic before it submitted any bid requirements.
However, SC spokesperson lawyer Camille Ting clarified that the SC ruling does not nullify the contract of Miru and Comelec.
READ: SC: Comelec gravely abused discretion in disqualifying Smartmatic
When Comelec chairman George Garcia was asked to respond to Amoroso’s claims, he said in a Viber message, “Mukhang hindi po ‘yan ang sinabi ng Supreme Court. In fact, sabi ng SC, kung ano man ‘yung ginawa ng Comelec after the bidding and award ay ituloy tuloy lang. Operative fact doctrine ang ginamit nila.”
(That is not what the Supreme Court said. In fact, the SC said that whatever Comelec did after the bidding and awarding should proceed as is. They applied the operative fact doctrine.)
“‘Yong sumunod na kaso na kinwestyon ang legalidad ng kontrata ng Comelec at Miru, minarapat po ng Kataas-taasang Hukuman na huwag mag-issue ng Restraining Order upang pahintuin ang aming paghahanda,” Garcia added.
(In the subsequent case questioning the legality of the contract between Comelec and Miru, the Supreme Court did not issue a restraining order to stop our preparations.)
READ: Comelec, Miru ink P17.99 B pact for automated 2025 polls
