With less than a month left before the historic 2022 elections, Senator Imee Marcos on Saturday urged the public to be vigilant for the upcoming polls.
She made the remarks amid reported cybersecurity issues faced by Smartmatic, the election software provider of the upcoming polls.
According to Marcos, the role of the Senate in investigating the said data breach was done, and it resolved that the country needs stronger protocols in terms of cybersecurity.
"Itong data breach, tapos na 'yung hearing sa Senado kasi hindi naman kami imbestigador or prosecutor. So we're done, for the aid of legislation, alam na namin ang dapat gawin - cybersecurity talaga at higpitan yung protocols diyan sa kontrata ng Smartmatic o simunamg supplier," said the senator, who is also the chair Senate committee on electoral reforms.
(For the data breach, the Senate’s hearing is done because we are not investigators or prosecutors. So we’re done, for the aid of legislation, we know what to do – which is on cybersecurity and tighten the protocols of the contract with Smartmatic or other suppliers.)
"So ngayon ang magagawa natin na lamang itong gingagawa ng chairman, binabantayan at tinutukan ang Smartmatic," she added.
(So what we can do now is what the chairman is doing, which is to monitor the Smartmatic.)
The senator said that assurance of the elections can only be achieved if Filipinos remain vigilant on election day.
"Wala namang kapanatagan kapag hindi nagbabantay - so kinakailangan magbantay at rumesponse ka agad-agad," she said.
(There is no assurance without vigilance – so we need to monitor and respond immediately.)
"At atasan natin si COMELEC (Commission on Elections) at ipaalam natin sa COMELEC na lahat tayo nanonood," she added.
(We need to order COMELEC and let it know that we are all watching.)
Meanwhile, Marcos also called on IT experts, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections, and other poll-watching bodies to also "keep their eyes on the ball."
Imee's brother, Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., is also running for the highest position in the Philippines.
Marcos Jr. previously alleged election fraud in 2016 when he lost to Vice President Leni Robredo, which led to a manual recount that worked against his favor nevertheless.
He later filed an appeal to unseat Robredo to the Supreme Court, which was also sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, but this was also unanimously dismissed by its 15 members.
