Metro Manila, Philippines – Amid calls for manual vote counting, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) noted on Wednesday, May 14, that a random manual audit is already underway.
Comelec spokesperson Rex Laudiangco explained that a manual vote count is conducted through random manual audit, which began on Wednesday, and during an election protest.
“Diyan (electoral protest) po magkakaroon ng opening of boxes at ‘ yun pong ating tinatawag na recounting ballots,” Rex Laudiangco said in a press briefing.
[Translation: An electoral protest will prompt the opening of boxes and recounting of ballots.]
Comelec Chairman George Garcia, meanwhile, said a separate manual recount is a longer process.
“Mas mahaba po ‘yun ‘di hamak kapag nag-manual recount tayo sa buong eleksyon,” Comelec chairman George Garcia said.
[Translation: Manual recounting of all the votes would take some time.]
