MANILA - A Palace official vowed there won’t be a repeat of the alleged rigging of the 2004 presidential elections in the coming 2016 presidential elections.
Vice President Jejomar Binay said on Sunday he has received "disturbing" reports of high-tech cheating in the 2016 presidential elections.
“Disturbing reports have reached us about the possible high-tech tampering to favor certain candidates, especially for high offices in 2016,” Binay said during the joint convention of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Western and Eastern Visayas in Iloilo.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, however, urged Binay to give more details on his allegations.
“It’s best for the Vice President to clarify. But that has been from the very start our advocacy: for a clean and free elections. We do want to avoid the situation in 2004. And the legitimacy of the elected official, the legitimacy of someone as a public official is always based on the legitimacy of the elections,” Lacierda said.
He also asked Binay to take up his concerns with the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
“It is the role of the Comelec to ensure the clean, free and honest elections. Ang Comelec siguro ang mas magandang sumagot doon sa concern ni Vice President Binay,” he said.
Binay, who has declared plans to run for the presidency in 2016, could face off anew with Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas.
Roxas lost to Binay in 2010.
In the 2013 elections, Comelec had to fend off allegations of high-tech fraud. The administration won the midterm elections with 9 of 12 Senate seats.
In 2005, former President Gloria Arroyo was alleged to have rigged the 2004 elections with the discovery of wiretapped phone conversations supposedly between her and then Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.
Arroyo’s legitimacy has been in question ever since.
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