PRESS STATEMENT

Today it has become clear that our assertion that hash codes have been changed at 7:30 p.m. on May 9 is true.

Earlier today, two whistleblowers came out in two newspaper articles confirming that there were alterations made and a video has been circulating in social media that changes indeed happened.

This has now forced the COMELEC Chairman to admit that in fact the changes occurred. Chairman Bautista, who earlier claimed he did not know about it, now admits that it did in fact happen.

This is a matter of grave and immediate concern.

However we do not agree with Chairman Bautista's claim that the change was something innocuous.

Section 28 of Republic Act 8436 provides that any form of utilization without authorization or tampering with electronic devices or their components used in the automated elections is prohibited and punishable by law.

Furthermore, COMELEC rules also provide that changing the hash code requires an En Banc resolution but as admitted by the Chairman himself, even he was not informed about it.

In addition, if the alteration was something innocuous, why did they have to change it in the first place while in the middle of transmission?

Why did they deny the change only to admit it later on?

Were there other modifications made? By whom and upon whose authority?

Why were the changes done by a Venezuelan Smartmatic technician rather than a Filipino Comelec-authorized personnel?

We call on Chairman Bautista and the COMELEC for a full and truthful explanation so the public can best informed on this matter before the official canvass begins.

The inability of the Comelec to guard the AES system has cast a cloud of doubt over the integrity of the entire process.

We call on the Information Technology experts to help us make sense of this very serious issue. This is not just about guarding the votes of Senator Marcos but the integrity of the whole electoral process.