- An election lawyer says Richard Gordon’s arguments regarding the printing of vote receipts are misleading
- Gordon previously stated that the Comelec has no other choice but to comply with the law
- Attorney Macalintal says election law does not specifically mention about vote receipts
A lawyer who specializes in election law has issued a statement; saying that the arguments presented by former Senator Richard Gordon on the use of vote receipts in the upcoming elections are both “misleading and speculative.“
In an article written by Leslie Ann Aquino for Manila Bulletin on February 29, it was disclosed that Atty. Romulo Macalintal said that Republic Act 9369, which is also known as the Automated Election System Law, does not specifically mention the printing of receipts that contain the votes cast by a voter in any of its provisions.
“What the law mandates is for the automated election system (AES) to provide a voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT). Clearly, it does not speak of a ‘receipt’ as claimed by Gordon,” Macalintal said.
The current chairman of the Philippine Red Cross has recently requested the Supreme Court (SC) to force the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to activate the VVPAT feature of the newly-acquired vote counting machines (VCMs) that will be used in May.
However, Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista has made a firm statement regarding the matter; saying that the VVPAT feature will remain deactivated during the local and national elections in order to avoid instances of vote buying since such vote receipts could be presented to politicians as a proof that they were indeed voted by the people.
Gordon, who is one of the main sponsors of RA 9369, has recently said that the Comelec has no other choice but to comply with what is contained in the election law.
“You have no choice but to comply, you can even extend the voting hours if necessary. Bakit ba ayaw niyong sundin ang batas? [Why is it that you don’t want to follow the law?] Are you trying to hide something?” Gordon said.
The SC has since ordered the Comelec to comment on the demands of Gordon.
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