By Deighton Acuin

PHOTO: INQUIRER.net

Acknowledging the emergence of electoral protests due to alleged widespread fraud in the recently concluded 2022 polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) should not be “onion-skinned,” Comelec Commissioner George Garcia said.

“Okay lang yan. Hindi pwedeng magiging onion-skinned ang Commission on Elections kaya nga kami humaharap at ine-explain natin,” Garcia said in an interview with reporters during the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) session for senatorial and partylist races in Pasay City.

“What is important is, if there is an allegation, the Comelec must be able to explain because if we cannot be able to explain, something is wrong,” he added.

Garcia said protests are welcomed but he reminded the protesters that the poll body’s job to tally the votes to proclaim winning candidates should not be hindered.

“So yun mga pagkondena sa atin, yung pagkondena, yung pagtuligsa nila…this is welcomed. Dapat tanggap namin,” he said.

“Kasi importante ‘wag niyo lang kaming guguluhin sa ginagawa naming trabaho, especially sa canvassing. We deserve the 12 senators and the party-lists by June 30,” Garcia added.

A day after the May 9 polls, progressive groups Gabriela, Selda, Piston, Kabataan Party-list, Anakpawis, and Kilusang Mayo Uno held their protest near the Comelec’s office in Intramuros to demand clean and honest elections amid reports of unpreparedness.

With 98.35% of the election returns transmitted electronically based on the partial and unofficial count as of 4:17 pm on May 12, presumptive president Bongbong Marcos is still the leading candidate in the 2022 presidential race garnering 31,104,060 votes, far from his archrival Vice President Leni Robredo’s 14,822,026 votes.

On the other hand, Marcos’ running mate Sara Duterte-Carpio is still on the verge as the country’s 15th vice president with a commanding lead with 31,561,724 votes compared to Senator Kiko Pangilinan’s 9,232,875 votes.


Edited by Kyla Balatbat