Comelec to partner with NBI to ensure credible 2025 polls

MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is partnering with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to ensure that the 2025 mid-term elections are secured, credible and free from hackers.

Comelec chairperson George Garcia said coordination will surely secure the forthcoming polls from those who are planning to malign the electoral process.

"So hinihingi natin ang tulong ng National Bureau of Investigation. Present din po ang head ng Cybersecurity Division ng NBI, 'yung kauna-unahang lumalaban ngayon sa issue ng hacking and other cybersecurity threat ng ating pamahalaan (So we are asking for the help of the National Bureau of Investigation. Also present is the head of the Cybersecurity Division of the NBI, the first to address the issue of hacking and other cybersecurity threats of our government)," he said in a press conference.

Garcia thanked NBI Director Jaime Santiago for visiting him at the Comelec head office in Intramuros, Manila, hoping to forge a memorandum of agreement that would strengthen their cooperation for credible elections.

"Kinakailangan mapigilan ang lahat ng attempts to influence the election through machinations or irregularities na alam pwedeng mangyari kahit sa pamamagitan ng cyberattacks (We need to prevent all attempts to influence the election through machinations or irregularities that, we know, could happen because of cyberattacks)," Garcia said.

For his part, Santiago also assured the cooperation of the agency in making sure that the scheduled electoral exercise is clean and credible.

"Yes, nagpunta kami dito (I came here) with my chief in cybercrime to assure the chairman that we will support, strengthen namin ang aming ugnayan para magkaroon tayo ng malinis (our coordination for us to have clean) and credible election, this coming election," he said.

Meanwhile, Garcia said the Comelec is set to request the Bureau's findings on the case of Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.

"We will officially request the report findings doon sa mismong (on) fingerprint examination and such other examinations that NBI is conducting upang magamit namin yung mga dokumentong iyan, mga ebidensya na iyan sa pag buildup ng kaso (so that we can use the documents, evidences for case buildup)," he said.

He said they are looking at filing a possible criminal case against Guo in connection with the certificate of candidacy (COC) she submitted when she ran in the May 2022 polls.

Garcia said the poll body will look into Guo's possible perjury and material misrepresentation under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code.

The Senate is investigating Guo's real identity and link to the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

Senator Risa Hontiveros said Guo is a Chinese national who ran and won as mayor of Bamban, Tarlac in the 2022 elections. (PNA)