NATIONAL
Advocates Philippines
Confused About The Election Results? COMELEC Clarifies 'Duplicate Data' Issue-No Vote Tampering
FILE
Intramuros, Manila — The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has released an official statement addressing the confusion caused by the delay and duplication of data in the election returns shown on the transparency servers of media organizations and accredited citizens’ arms for the upcoming May 12, 2025 National and Local Elections.
According to COMELEC, the confusion stemmed from the repeated appearance of data on the public websites of various transparency servers. This has led to public speculation and concern, especially on social media. COMELEC strongly denied any manipulation or tampering of election data.
“The discrepancies in the data published by the media and accredited citizens’ arms on their respective public websites may have resulted from a misunderstanding in the proper processing of the files they received,” the agency stated.
COMELEC Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia explained that only their central server processes election returns in real-time, and these are viewable on COMELEC’s official results website:
👉 https://2025electionresults.comelec.gov.ph
Other transparency servers operated by PPCRV, NAMFREL, media, and the dominant majority and minority parties must first convert machine-readable data before they can publish results. Because of this, there can be a slight delay in releasing their versions of the results.
Why did “duplicate” entries appear?
When Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) send election returns, each new batch of data includes previously sent results. For example:
In the first transmission, two precincts send their data.
In the second transmission, three new precincts are added, but the original two are also included again—making it appear as if data is duplicated in the transparency servers.
“This is a result of a flawed process in how election return data is converted, and it does not mean that there was vote tampering, double transmission, or deliberate manipulation of the results,” COMELEC clarified.
Is there something wrong with the official website?
No. It’s clear that the COMELEC results website only displays partial and unofficial results meant for transparency. The official election results will still come from the Certificates of Canvass issued by the various canvassing boards across the country.
All incidents were reported to representatives from PPCRV, NAMFREL, media, and political parties present at COMELEC’s Data Center 3, along with COMELEC’s IT personnel.
COMELEC’s Reminder:
They do not release candidate rankings unless the results are final and official, in accordance with the law.
According to COMELEC, the confusion stemmed from the repeated appearance of data on the public websites of various transparency servers. This has led to public speculation and concern, especially on social media. COMELEC strongly denied any manipulation or tampering of election data.
“The discrepancies in the data published by the media and accredited citizens’ arms on their respective public websites may have resulted from a misunderstanding in the proper processing of the files they received,” the agency stated.
COMELEC Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia explained that only their central server processes election returns in real-time, and these are viewable on COMELEC’s official results website:
👉 https://2025electionresults.comelec.gov.ph
Other transparency servers operated by PPCRV, NAMFREL, media, and the dominant majority and minority parties must first convert machine-readable data before they can publish results. Because of this, there can be a slight delay in releasing their versions of the results.
Why did “duplicate” entries appear?
When Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) send election returns, each new batch of data includes previously sent results. For example:
In the first transmission, two precincts send their data.
In the second transmission, three new precincts are added, but the original two are also included again—making it appear as if data is duplicated in the transparency servers.
“This is a result of a flawed process in how election return data is converted, and it does not mean that there was vote tampering, double transmission, or deliberate manipulation of the results,” COMELEC clarified.
Is there something wrong with the official website?
No. It’s clear that the COMELEC results website only displays partial and unofficial results meant for transparency. The official election results will still come from the Certificates of Canvass issued by the various canvassing boards across the country.
All incidents were reported to representatives from PPCRV, NAMFREL, media, and political parties present at COMELEC’s Data Center 3, along with COMELEC’s IT personnel.
COMELEC’s Reminder:
They do not release candidate rankings unless the results are final and official, in accordance with the law.
May 13, 2025
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