Comelec vows to learn from midterm polls’ glitches, do better in 2022

THE COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) said it will assess the glitches encountered in the May 13 midterm polls and use the lessons learned in preparing for the 2022 Presidential elections.

Comelec Chairman Sheriff A. Abas told reporters on Wednesday that the poll body will do the evaluation as soon as the 2019 national and local election period officially ends on June 12.

“Mag-assess kami kung saan kami nagkaproblema at ayun ang proposal para sa 2022 (We will assess where we encountered problems and that will be [the basis] of our proposal for 2022),” he said.

The Presidential elections, which will also include other national as well as local positions, is set on May 9, 2022.

In the just concluded 2019 midterm elections, nearly 2,000 SD cards were reported to be defective while nearly 1,000 vote counting machines (VCMs) were also ruled defective.

The Comelec system also experienced a seven-hour data blackout during the initial transmission of votes right after the polls closed last May 13.

YOUTH PARTY-LIST
In another development, Comelec Commissioner Rowena Amelia V. Guanzon dismissed reports that the poll body has already allowed former National Youth Commission chairman Ronald Gian Carlo L. Cardema to be the first nominee of youth sector party-list Duterte Youth.

In a social media post on Thursday, Ms. Guanzon stressed that she has not signed any resolution regarding Mr. Cardema’s application for substitution to be the first nominee of the group.

“I have not signed a Reso about giving due course to Cardema’s application for substitution but I will dissent,” she said.

At 33 years old, Mr. Cardema is deemed unqualified to be a nominee of a youth sector party-list, with the age range set at 25 to 30 years old.

The Comelec has yet to issue an official statement or resolution regarding Mr. Cardema’s substitution application, in which he seeks to replace the first nominee of Duterte Youth, his wife Ducielle Marie. — Gillian M. Cortez