Comelec: Garcia not pushing for manual counting in 2028 polls

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday dismissed social media posts claiming that its chairperson, George Garcia, is pushing for manual counting in the 2028 elections to avoid fraud. 

Comelec flagged the Facebook posts of certain “Makhina Moto Vlog” and “Meljam DL” with a caption in Filipino that reads, “Comelec Chairman George Garcia wants manual counting in the 2028 elections to avoid cheating?”

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“This commission is clarifying that the information indicated in these Facebook posts is false, and was not stated by Chairman Garcia, and it did not come from the Comelec,” the poll body said in Filipino.

“The Comelec is complying with the existing election law, and it will continue to implement it in the next elections,” it added.

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The Republic Act No. 9369, or the Election Automation Law, mandates the Comelec to use an automated election system, which covers the voting, counting, canvassing, and transmission of election results. 

With this, the poll body warned that disseminating false and alarming information is considered an election offense under Section 261(z)(11) of the Omnibus Election Code. /mcm