Comelec eyes manual recount of 2022 votes

MANILA, Philippines — To settle “once and for all” the issue of irregularities in the May 2022 elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) intends to do a manual recount of the ballots.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia yesterday reported that he is proposing to the Commission en banc the recount of ballots from polling precincts to be chosen by the group seeking to disqualify technology provider Smartmatic from participating in future elections.

Garcia said he is suggesting the crafting of a procedure for the manual counting of ballots as a win-win solution to settle the issue of irregularities.

“We will make a hastened procedure where in 17 regions, they can pick any precinct and we can open the ballots. Petitioners can choose and we will open the ballot boxes and we will count one by one the ballots to see if it matches the elections returns,” the poll chief explained in Filipino.

Garcia said the Comelec will shoulder the cost of the public re-counting of ballots. He said all stakeholders will be invited to attend the manual counting.

He said discrepancies in the results of the recount of ballots and election returns will prove irregularity. If the numbers tally, it means the results of the May 2022 elections are correct. Election watchdog groups may also bring their copy of the election returns to check any discrepancies.

Garcia hopes to undertake the manual recount of ballots by November or before the Comelec starts the bidding for the procurement or lease of the new technology to be used in the May 2025 elections.

If proven that there were indeed irregularities, he said, the Comelec will not only blacklist or disqualify Smartmatic but may also opt to return the retention money to the company.

For its part, technology provider Smartmatic disputed yesterday allegations of irregularities in the May 2022 national and local elections.

“We have consistently disproved and established before the Commission that all of these social media accusations are not only false, but are mere baseless speculations with a singular goal of maligning our company,” Smartmartic said in statement.

Smartmatic said the disqualification petition filed against their company is not