Kontra Daya, BAYAN revive calls for hybrid elections

Election watchdog Kontra Daya and progressive group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) on Friday gathered in front of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Intramuros, Manila to revive calls for hybrid elections in the May 2025 polls.

BAYAN Secretary-General Mong Palatino said the hybrid - part-manual, part-automated elections - electoral system will address the alleged transparency issues in the 2025 national and local elections (NLE).

“Isa sa mga panawagan natin ang hybrid electoral system… Itong panibagong alegasyon laban sa Comelec ang nagpapaalala sa atin kung bakit ba kailangan natin umasa na naman sa dayuhan para sa ating eleksyon samantalang through hybrid electoral system, we can tap local experts, local technology,” Palatino told reporters.

(One of the things we are calling for is the use of a hybrid electoral system. The fresh allegations against Comelec shows we should not depend on foreign companies for the elections because we can tap local experts and local technology for a hybrid election.)

“Kayang kaya ma-address ‘yung ating panawagan na magkaroon nang mas merong transparency sa pagboto at pagbilang. Ang automatic yung transmission at kayang kaya yan with the current technology,” he said.

(We can address transparency issues this way.)

On Tuesday, SAGIP party-list Representative Rodante Marcoleta questioned the Comelec’s awarding of the P18-billion automated election contract to a joint venture that included Korean firm Miru, amid the alleged existence of 49 offshore bank accounts that received money from South Korean banks.

Marcoleta said the decisions during the bidding process up to the awarding of the contract to Miru coincided with deposits made to the offshore accounts he alleged were linked to a Comelec official.

Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia admitted he was the poll body official being alluded to but denied owning any foreign bank accounts or properties abroad.

He also requested the National Bureau of Investigation and Anti-Money Laundering Council to formally investigate the accusations and issued secrecy waivers against the involved bank accounts.

Meanwhile, BAYAN also called for an “independent” investigation into the bribery allegations against the Comelec chief, saying it may be handled by the Ombudsman, Sandiganbayan, or the Congress.

“Ang panawagan natin, independent investigation. Kailangan i-check lahat ng records, banking transactions, lifestyle checks sa mga opisyal, at saka ano yung batayan noong expose,” said Palatino.

(We’re urging for an independent investigation. There should be a lifestyle check on the officials as well as their records, and banking transactions. The basis of the expose should also be probed.)

“In the meantime, i-junk na muna itong kontrata with Miru... Kaya nga yung hybrid electoral system, tingin natin, kakayanin. Nasa rules ng Comelec kung paano ito gagawin…Mali yung choice e, na parang automated to manual, bina-blackmail yung taong bayan, na kapag nawala itong kontrata with Miru, balik tayo sa manual,” he added.

(In the meantime, they should also junk the contract with Miru. It is wrong for Comelec to blackmail the voting public that we will resort to manual elections if we lose Miru.)

Kontra Daya, for its part, echoed calls for hybrid elections as well as the probe on the bribery raps against Garcia.

“Itutulak po talaga natin ‘yung hybrid elections. Kasi ito po yung nakikita natin ang paraan na mas madali nating mare-resolba itong mga problema sa kundukta ng election party,” said Kim

(We will push for the hybrid elections because we see this as the quickest way to resolve these election problems.)

Asked if there was “no chance” for a hybrid system in the 2025 polls, the Comelec said: “Opo. Kasi po ung automation law ay pure automation nakalagay at ang budget din po na binigay sa atin ay para sa pure automation lamang”.

(Yes, because the budget allocated to us is for automation only.) — DVM, GMA Integrated News