AN ACCREDITED citizens' arm of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has asked the poll body to investigate the alleged irregularities in the just concluded May 9 national and local polls.
Henrietta de Villa, national chairperson of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), said it is only proper for the poll body to probe the supposed cheating to erase doubts in the electoral exercises held last month.
"Comelec must investigate," she said.
The PPCRV head added, "For the credibility of the elections all protests and claims accompanied by evidence should be looked into seriously."
De Villa noted that they were furnished copies of the supposed irregularities.
She also urged those who are claiming that cheating was present during the May 9 polls should present solid evidence to back their allegations.
"Claimants of cheating must have hard and strong evidence to back their claims. If proven guilty cheaters must be punished heavily and swiftly. PPCRV stands on the side of the truth and the law," she added.
The former Ambassador to the Vatican said that there were similar claims in the 2010 polls, which were accompanied by evidence.
"In 2010 there were similar claims of election fraud i.e. simulated SD cards, masked fraud perpetrators on TV. These were lengthily and thoroughly investigated and finally proven to be without basis," she said.
Several weeks after the conduct of the national and local polls, Pastor Boy Saycon of the Council of Philippine Affairs brought to the Senate three whistleblowers claiming to have participation in the supposed rigging of election results in Quezon.
They claimed that the illegal activity was conducted to benefit candidates of the Liberal Party, particularly standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II and his running mate Leni Robredo.
Robredo has been declared as the country's Vice President together with President-elect Rodrigo Duterte last May 30. (FP/Sunnex)