Comelec rejects allegations of fraud in online voting

 

The page that caused the ruckus

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has disputed claims made on social media by several overseas Filipino voters that the ongoing internet-based voting is rigged as a review of the ballots they cast showed names of candidates they did not vote for.

Many of the complainants showed as proof screen shots of a box with jumbled letters and numbers underneath the sign “This is your ballot content”. A few names of actual candidates in the 2025 mid-term elections showed up amid the mostly unreadable content. 

The page is accessed through a QR code given to them after they cast their ballot.

Basahin ang detalye!

One of the complainants, Jefferson Bonoan, a Filipino worker based in Singapore, posted on his Facebook account screenshots of the ballot he cast on Monday, and the contents of the landing page of the QR code sent him.

While the screen shot of his ballot showed him voting for 10 candidates of the PDP-Laban party and two from the administration’s slate, his scanned QR code revealed names of those he did not vote for, including Manny Pacquiao of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas and Mimi Doringo of Makabayan.

Other voters in South Korea and United Arab Emirates who publicly declared voting for senatorial candidates endorsed by former President Rodrigo Duterte made the same allegation.

The posts prompted widespread calls by other overseas Filipinos for their cast ballots to show the actual names of candidates they voted for.

Garcia explains the apparent glitch to reporters

But in a talk with reporters on Monday, the second day of internet voting, Comelec Chair George Garcia said the full lineup of candidates chosen can be viewed and reviewed by the voter before the vote is cast. This will disappear once the “cast” button is pressed to prevent vote-buying.

 “Hindi namin talaga ibibigay ang mga pangalan (ng mga binoto) pagkatapos mai-cast kasi pwedeng gamitin sa vote buying,” Garcia said. (We really cannot give the names of the candidates chosen after the ballot is cast because this can be used for vote buying).

He explained that the random letters and numbers, and names of candidates that show up after the QR code is scanned is a security feature of the system, and does not reflect the actual ballot that was cast.

“Once these encrypted codes are translated into human-readable language after the end of election hours on May 12, that’s when they will confirm that the votes they cast are for the correct candidates. This is our way to secure your votes,” he pointed out.

Comelec, he said, is the only one with the capability to translate the encrypted script on QR codes to reveal the actual votes cast.

He assured the public that the internet voting system is “verifiable and auditable” and was rigorously checked before poll watchers National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting and other stakeholders.

Garcis lamented that there appeared to be an effort by some Filipinos to spread misinformation to discredit online voting.

Some technology experts, however, laid the blame squarely on the Comelec for the confusion that resulted from the unreadable script which was supposed to contain the ballot that was cast by the voter.

“That kind of information is not meant for end users or the general public but for IT developers,” said an expert.

“They should have thought of masking the information and turning it into something more understandable for everyone, without comprising the security of the vote as they mentioned,” said the expert.

Another who posted online said the code did not appear to be fully encrypted because it showed the full names of some candidates. In any case, he and several other IT practitioners said the encryption process should have been done in the back end, so nothing would be visible to the public for data privacy and security.

Overseas voting for Filipinos will run for 30 days until 7 p.m. on May 12 Manila time, which coincides with the closing of the day-long election in the Philippines.

2 Pinoys charged with fighting in public get differrent results

 

Scene of the fight (Google Maps photo)

Two Filipino residents found themselves being charged at Eastern Court today with fighting in public as a result of taking part in fisticuffs last September in Wanchai.

When the hearing ended, however, G. Dellomos, 52 years old, found himself the subject of an arrest warrant and his bail of $2,000 subject to possible forfeiture, while J. de Guzman, 36 years old, had his charge dropped.

The difference was that Dellomos, a goods vehicle driver, did not show up for the hearing on the charge of violation the Public Order Ordinance, having allegedly taken part in an unlawful fight on Sept. 28 last year in front of the Centre Point on Jaffe Road, Wanchai.

Basahin ang detalye!

As a result, Principal Magistrate Don So issued a warrant for his arrest, and reserved his decision on whether to forfeit the bail money, depending on Dellomos’ reason fo his absence.

On the other hand, de Guzman, a security personnel, agreed to a bind over under which he would keep the peace and not reoffend for 12 months, or he would be fined $1,000, in addition to being meted the penalties for the new offense.

Prosecutors then withdrew the charge filed against him by Wanchai Police last March 28.

“Get your bail (from the court cashier) and go home,” Magistrate So told de Guzman after closing his portion of the case.

“Next time, call the police” (instead of getting into a fight), he added.

Slow first day of overseas voting in HK

 

Queuing for voters who needed help with enrolling to vote was fast

The first day of overseas voting for Filipinos in Hong Kong was off to a slow and quiet start on Sunday, Apr 13, with no formal opening ceremony, or hundreds, if not thousands, of people lining up to be among the first to cast their ballots for a national election in the Philippines.

This is the first time that overseas voting is being done fully via the internet, and many of the more than 83,300 registered voters in Hong Kong appeared hesitant to take part in the new system, at least initially.

Not a few were still insisting on voting in person at the Bayanihan Centre in Kennedy Town, which was designated as the sole polling station in Hong Kong until the last presidential election in 2022.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

One migrant worker even posted on Facebook that there was still manual voting at Bayanihan Centre, and rallied all online naysayers to vote there instead.

“Doon na tayo bumoto para siguradong wag mag online vote,” she said. (Let us just go there to vote so we won’t be forced to do online voting).

In a separate post, she also urged her fellow OFWs to take screen shots of their completed ballots which she vaguely said could be used as evidence in case of cheating. 

Basahin ang detalye!

Vice Consul Jose Angelo Manuel who is overseeing the OV in Hong Kong said he is aware that such misinformation continues to spread, despite repeated announcements by the Consulate, and even by the Philippines’ Commission on Elections, that most overseas Filipinos will now have to vote online.

VC Manuel said the Consulate has already advised staff and volunteers at the Bayanihan Centre to inform misled voters that they could instead go to the OFW Global Center on the 18^th floor of United Centre in Admiralty if they needed help in enrolling to vote.

VC Manuel personally attends to some voters who need help with enrollment   

He also reiterated the assurance that there are sufficient measures in place to ensure that internet voting is safe and secure. Apart from this, it is a lot more convenient for voters than manual voting.

But on this first day at least, that message did not seem to have hit home yet.

Only a handful of Filipinos could be seen entering the designated OV wing of the OFW Center to ask for help in registering to vote that, except for a few who failed to make the 15-minute cut-off to finish casting their ballot, everything seemed to go smoothly.

One voter who completed his ballot on his mobile phone unassisted, expressed satisfaction at the process, saying it took him less than five minutes to cast his vote. He said that after logging on to the designated portal set up by the Commission on Elections using the registered email and password, a one-time password was sent, which he then used to access his online ballot.

But one poll watcher said one would-be voter who had lined up as early as 9am failed to cast her ballot as she couldn't get through the enrolment phase even if she was supposed to be still in the certified list of overseas voters. She said she would just ask another group to help her enroll. 

Throwback Sunday- the long queue outside Bayanihan Centre on first day of OV 2022

The scene this year was in stark contrast to previous elections, when thousands of people would troop to Bayanihan Centre to vote or solicit votes, especially on the first day of voting, or on Sundays when most Filipino migrant workers were off work.

A number would even camp overnight outside the lone polling station so they could be the first to cast their ballot.

Foremost among them was Baneng Mendez, who takes pride in being the first to vote in all five previous OV in Hong Kong. This time, Baneng said she logged in on the first hour of Apr 13, but was allowed to vote only on her fourth try.

“Kinakarir ko talaga ang pagiging first voter for the past 5 elections, gusto ko sanang panindigan ang panata kong ito. Kaya lang ay hindi ako tiyak kung ako pa rin ang first voter dahil 4x akong disapproved,” said Baneng. (I have made a career out of being the first to vote in the past 5 elections. I really wanted to keep this up but I am not sure if I am still the first voter this time because I was disapproved four times).

She added that all she’s sure of now is that for this election, her vote was for Bayan Muna party-list and the senatorial candidates under the Makabayan bloc.

Baneng spent the night outside Bayanihan Centre in 5 previous OVs to be the first to vote

Given the promised anonymity to online voters it is not likely that determining who voted first in Hong Kong would now be known.

Even ascertaining the daily turnout could be a challenge as the number of people who show up at the OV center could just be a fraction of those who have decided to cast their votes silently, in the comfort of their homes. Neither is Comelec willing to spew out numbers while the vote is ongoing.

But what is important now is to get Filipinos to trust the process and take part in the historic vote. If it is as sound and safe as promised, there would be no better way than this to know the true will of the people.

(Online voting for overseas Filipinos will continue until May 12 at 7pm. The OV help center at the OFW Center will be open daily, including public holidays, from 9am to 4pm).

 

 

 

Pinoy gets 4-month suspended sentence for shoplifting

 

The North Point store where items were stolen (Google Maps photo)

A Filipino construction worker avoided getting jailed after pleading guilty to shoplifting in North Point, but has found himself obligated to avoid reoffending for three years, or he will have to serve his four-month jail sentence.

C. de Vera, 41 years old, pleaded guilty to theft on Wednesday (April 9), after being accused by police of stealing five packs of chocolate with a total value of $978 from a Best Mart 360 store on King’s Road in North Point last March 11.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

This resulted in another court hearing previously scheduled for May 5 being cancelled.

After his guilty plea, Principal Magistate Don So told De Vera, who had been detained since March 14, “I’ll give you a chance.”

Magistrate So sentenced him to four months’ jail, suspended for three years.

Basahin ang detalye!

As explained to him, de Vera does not have to be detained in jail if he keeps the peace and avoids committing any offense during the three-year period. If he does, he will have to serve not just his four-month sentence but also the new penalty that may be handed to him for the new offense.

Meanwhile, at Kowloon City Court, domestic helper E. Enriquez was given a two-month sentence, suspended for 12 months, after she pleaded guilty to stealing one i-Pad worth $7,999 inside the Marketplace by Jason’s store on Austin Road in Tsim Sha Tsui last Feb. 4.

Pinay accused of stealing 17 jewelry items remanded in jail

 

The theft was allegedly committed in a unit in this compound (Google Maps photo)

A Filipina domestic helper accused of stealing 17 jewelry items from her employer, has been returned to jail after her theft case was adjourned at Eastern Court.

Sherelle Lyn Dajay, 40 years old, was told to appear again on April 16 by Principal Magistrate Don So.

PINDUTIN DITO

Dajay is accused of violating the Theft Ordinance for allegedly taking two watches, eight rings, two pairs of earrings, three necklaces and two pendants.

The theft allegedly happened between Feb.1 ,2024 and Oct. 13, 2024 at the empoye’s hoouse at Black’s Link in Happy Valley.

Basahin ang detalye!

Meanwhile, another domestic helper was freed on bail of $500 also on Friday (April 11) after her case of assault occasioning actual bodily harm was adjourned to May 16.

Michel Uma, 37 yeas old, is accused of assaulting another woman on April 6 last year inside a flat in Warrenwoods, Happy Valley.

Internet voting safe and fast says PCG, on eve of historic vote

PCG's election board headed by VC Manuel (center) at sealing of election paraphernalia

 There is no reason why registered Filipino voters overseas should hesitate to cast their votes in the first ever internet voting in the Philippines, says the Philippine consulate officer in-charge of administering the vote in Hong Kong.

Vice Consul Jose Angelo Manuel, chairman of the Consulate’s Resident Election Registration Board (RERB) in Hong Kong said internet voting is secure and a lot faster than the previous in-person mode.

“Maraming layers of checks, maraming layers of security, so don’t worry. So, please cast your vote during this election,” Manuel said, after supervising the final sealing and lockdown of the overseas voting and counting system in Hong Kong, ahead of Sunday’s historic election.

PINDUTIN DITO

He also said voting through the internet is a lot faster and easier than when voters had to line up for hours at the Bayanihan Centre, designated as the sole polling place for overseas Filipinos, until the last presidential election in 2022.

“So now you have this system in place. Mas madali pa (it’s even easier) since you can vote anytime, anywhere in Hong Kong,” he said.

“Even if you encounter any difficulties…the Consulate is ready to assist you. Kung hindi po tayo techie, wala tayong email, wala tayong passport, ok lang po yan. (if you are not techie, you don’t have email or passport, that’s OK). Just come to us, kami na po ang bahala (we’ll take care of it).

Board shows a total of 83,330 Filipinos in HK are qualified to vote in this year's election

Among the documents that were sealed was one that indicated that Hong Kong has a total of 83,330 eligible overseas voters for this year’s mid-term elections in the Philippines, when they get to choose a maximum of 12 senators and one party-list.

This marked a sharp decrease in the number of registered voters in Hong Kong, which came up to 93,265 in total for the 2022 presidential election, held amid the pandemic. Just before the registration ended on Sept 30 last year, Manuel himself said the Consulate expected a total registration figure of between 90,000 and 95,000.

This could be due to several factors, including the absence of clearer guidelines and effort on the part of the Commission on Elections to stoke voters’ interest in the landmark vote, the fact that it is primarily a senatorial and not a presidential election, and an apparently widespread perception that internet voting would require one to be a tech wizard.

Basahin ang detalye!

And initially at least, the process of pre-enrollment as a voter did come with a number of bugs, like voters failing to access the link to the Comelec portal, not getting the one-time password to complete the process, failing to make it to the 5-minute cutoff, and many others.

It was also during this time that the Consulate itself learned that pre-enrolment could not be done in the Philippines, with voters getting the ominous message that they had been “blocked” from the system.

Comelec seal that ensures the election results are not tampered with

But this time around, Manuel said they are confident pre-enrolment could be done well within the 5-minute time limit, and the voting, within the 15-minute allowance. 

Nevertheless, if one gets timed out, he said they can always go back to the portal, although they may have to start all over again.

While voters are encouraged to do the pre-enrolment and voting inside their homes where the internet connection is presumably stronger and more stable, Manuel said they should not hesitate to ask help from the Consulate if they encounter any problems, or feel overwhelmed by the new process.

Eight desks have been set up at the OWWA OFW Centre on the 18^th floor of United Centre Building in Admiralty for this purpose. The centre will be open every day, including public holidays, from tomorrow, Apr 13 until May 12, from 9am to 4pm.

A word of caution: while voters are no longer required to fill their ballots in a confined and regulated space, they should still not take live videos or selfies of themselves voting, and share these on social media as these violate the law on ballot secrecy.

“We discourage anyone from sharing the contents of their ballot because the ballot is sacred, it’s for you, it’s your choice. Please avoid sharing or informing others about your vote. It’s your responsibility as a voter to maintain the security of your vote,” Manuel said.

Comelec outlaws the taking of photos or making copies of one’s ballot during or after voting since this could be used for vote-buying or vote-selling.

 

 

 

 

 

Harsher penalties for selling bank accounts to scammers eyed

Some of the documents seized in the police operation (Sing Tao photo)

by Daisy CL Mandap

Hong Kong police have reported the arrest of 139 people in the last two weeks, on suspicion that they sold their bank accounts to money launderers.

The arrests which involved 100 men and 39 women aged 19 to 73, were made as part of an operation to crack down on scams that resulted in $131 million in losses to victims.

Police said at the news conference earlier today that they are applying for harsher penalties for those who sold their bank accounts to syndicates, to further deter people from enabling the illicit transactions.

The Justice Department has already made a similar request, resulting in the High Court imposing immediate imprisonment for longer periods to the registered account holders.

Basahin ang detalye!

Currently, the force is also in talks with banks on strengthening their communication to stop the illegal activities. 

A pending bill at the Legislative Council could also result in banks sharing data information on suspicious transactions later this year

Last year, a 12% increase in scam cases was recorded compared with 2023, in which more than $9.1 billion was lost by victims. More than 8,600 people were arrested for selling their bank accounts to syndicates.

Police said the syndicates often use cold calls or social media posts to encourage people to sell or “lend” their bank accounts, in exchange for easy cash.

They warned that handing over bank accounts, regardless of who subsequently use them for transactions, make the account holder legally liable.

The public is also advised to be wary of online transactions, especially if the merchant asks for payment into a personal account or multiple accounts. Buyers must also carefully verify the seller’s name and account details before making transactions.

Landmark internet voting for overseas Filipinos to begin Sunday

 

With just two days to go before the first ever internet voting for Filipinos abroad is set to begin, the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong has reminded registered voters that they need to enroll at the website of the Commission on Elections before they can cast their votes.

The enrollment is ongoing, and will close on May 7, or five days before the overseas voting ends on May 12, which is also the day Filipinos across the country will go to the polling stations to cast their ballots.

Online voting will start at 8am this Sunday, Apr 13, until 7pm of May 12. As voting is through the internet, voters can log on to enroll and vote anytime once the overseas election starts.

Basahin ang detalye!

Voting can be done through the Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS) using a mobile smartphone, table or laptop. Just log on using the following links:

• Enrollment (now until May 7) - ov.comelec.gov.ph/enroll
• Voting (Apr 14 until May 12) - ov.comelec.gov.ph/vote

As voting is online, anyone who is registered to vote overseas can cast their votes anywhere and anytime, as long as they have the right gadgets and have a strong internet connection.

There will be no need to go to a physical voting center like the Bayanihan Centre in Kennedy Town which was used for all previous overseas voting by Filipinos in Hong Kong until the last national election in 2022.

Those who might need help to enroll and/or vote, may go to the OWWA OFW Global Center on the 18^th floor of United Centre in Admiralty on the following dates:

• Apr 13 to May 12, 9am to 4pm, everyday, including public holidays
• This coming Sunday, Apr 13, it will open at 8am

Reminder: All those who plan to enroll and vote should bring along any of the following identification documents: Philippine passport, driver’s license, PhilSys ID, o seaman's book.

If none of these is available, the voter will need to present any government-issued Philippine identity card or HKID card.

The Consulate also reminded all those who took part in the mock or test voting from Mar 20 to Apr 12 that this was not official. They need to do the actual voting from Apr 13 to May 12 for their votes to be counted.

All voters may choose up to 12 senators and one party-list from among the list in the OVCS.

For information on how to use the OVCS, please click on this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YvnaS2ru9xkrtQ3UFWoCnddV6Q1PrFxw/view?pli=1

For all other information on the election, go to https://info-ov.comelec.gov.ph/

HK steps up measures to tackle scams, money laundering

 

File shot by a Filipina who bragged on Facebook about involvement in money laundering

Hong Kong authorities say they are taking new steps to counter scam and money laundering activities which have risen considerably over the past year.

The new measures will include police sharing with banks the account and phone numbers, as well as e-mails associated with suspicious bank accounts on its Scameter database.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority, on the other hand, will allow banks to flag suspicious accounts, and when money gets into them, to either contact clients reminding them of risks, conduct further examination, or ask police for help.

Basahin ang detalye!

Subject to the passage of the Banking (Amendment) Bill 2025 which has just passed a second reading at the Legislative Council, local retail banks are also set to step up data sharing of suspicious accounts and transactions by the end of the year.

The new measures were announced in the wake of a 12 percent rise in the number of scam cases last year compared to 2023. Nearly 45,000 such cases were reported, in which more than $9.1 billion was lost.

Police statistics also showed about 8,600 people were arrested last year on suspicion of lending their bank accounts for money laundering – a big number of them foreign domestic helpers – for a 44 percent jump compared to last year.

HKMA executive director Raymond Chan said at a press briefing today that the bank will continue to take steps to protect the privacy of customers by limiting the data they share.

"Banks will only be sharing client information in specific situations as the information can only be used for detecting and preventing banned activities such as scams and money laundering," he said.

Further, the data sharing will only take place on a designated and confidential platform set up by the police.

Chan said the HKMA and the Police will issue guidelines to banks on the data sharing system, which they will also monitor rigorously.

A paper submitted to Legco last month said an information gap has allowed criminals to rapidly move and conceal illicit funds through the banking system.

For example, even after a bank has detected and taken action on an illicit transaction in an account, the criminals would often be able to continue their illegal activities by using mule accounts opened in another bank.

The lack of data sharing between the banks under the present mechanism has resulted in many such transactions getting through before the police are alerted to them.

Also at the press conference, police chief superintendent Kelly Cheng, said 251 people have been arrested in connection with more than 500 scam cases, as a result of joint operation with mainland authorities over several months last year.

The suspects who were mostly from the mainland were suspected of coming to Hong Kong to open stooge bank accounts before going back across the border.

 

Pinay gets 7 months for money laundering

 

Eastern court (file photo)

An unemployed Filipina has been jailed for seven months at Eastern Court for money laundering, after she pleaded guilty to the charge. However, she mantained that she still had no idea how this resulted from her lending her ATM card.

Jocelyn Arellano, 40 years old, was responding to Principal Magistrate Don So’s questions on Wednesday (April 9) after the charge was read to her and she pleaded guilty.

“I have no idea,” she answered when asked by Magistate So if she understood the charge against her. “They just borrowed my account.”

Basahin ang detalye!

The borrowed ATM card was subsequently used to deposit and withdraw $354,700 in crime money from her Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. account from May 27 to Aug. 26, 2020.

She was then charged with dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence, in violation of the Organized and Serious Crimes Odinance.

Pinay, local man jailed 2 weeks for fighting in public

 

The scene of the street fight

Hong Kong takes fighting in a public place very seriously.

This was emphasized to a Filipina and a Chinese man, Mari Miriam Manrique and Chiu Hung-lung, when they were each sentenced today at Eastern Court to two weeks’ imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to fighting in public last Feb. 15.

Both were set free immediately as they had been jailed longer than their sentence.

The scene of their fight was a subway on 1 Wong Nai Chung Road in Happy Valley.

Basahin ang detalye!

Manrique, 40 years old and a recognizance card holder indicating that she is an asylum seeker, has been asking for bail reviews since her confinement last month but had been repeatedly rebuffed despite offering increasing sums of bail money.

Her opponent, on the other hand, has worked as a parttime cleaner who is remorseful for being in a fight with a woman, according to his lawyer. “He did it on impulse,” he explained..

Principal Magistrate Don So told them, after giving a sentence that was shorter than their confinement, “You can go home tonight.”

 

Tram fares to go up from May 12

 

Tram patronage has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, says its operator

Starting on May 12, tram passengers will have to pay up to 30 cents more per ride, after the government approved a proposal to increase fares by 6 to 15 percent.

Passengers aged 12 or above will pay $3.30 for a tram ride, up 30 cents from the current $3.

Child fares will increase from $1.50 to $1.60, while seniors aged 65 and above will pay 20 cents more, from the current $1.30 to $1.50.

Basahin ang detalye!

However, the $260 monthly ticket will remain unchanged, in a bid to lessen the impact on passengers.

The government said it looked at various factors before deciding on the increase, such as the service quality and quantity, Hong Kong Tramway’s planned improvements, changes in operating costs and revenue, and public acceptability.

According to HKT, tram patronage has yet to rebound to pre-pandemic levels, while its non-fare box income, which accounts for about 50% of its total revenue, is “rather limited.”

At the same time, operating costs and staff salaries have been rising continuously. The tram company also plans to continue investing on improving services, such as the renewal of tram tracks and the upgrading of tram cars.

Even with the fare increase, the tram remains the most economical means of going around Hong Kong island.

Filipina DH cuts wrists in attempted suicide

 

The incident happened in one of the flats at Double Cove on Wu Kai Sha Road

A Filipina domestic helper in Ma On Shan was rushed to hospital at about 9:30pm last night, after attempting suicide by slashing her wrists and taking some pills.

Reports said the 33-year-old Filipina was undergoing some financial difficulties which may have helped push her to the edge.

A police report said the Filipina’s employer had called for help, suspecting that the helper was in distress inside their residence at Double Cove, 8 Wu Kai Sha Road.

Basahin ang detalye!

Paramedics who responded to the call found the helper unwell. They also found a packet of drugs and a suicide note near her.

She was rushed to Prince of Wales Hospital in a semi-conscious state, but her present condition is unknown.

Staff at the Philippine Migrant Workers Office said they had not heard of the case, and are asking those who might know the helper to contact them so she could be helped.

Anyone suffering from depression or having suicidal thoughts may call the 24-hour multi-lingual hotline at The Samaritans Hong Kong at 28960000.

Alternatively, they may call or send a message to The Help Project at 28272525, for free and fully confidential support.

Filipino migrant workers may also call the hotline of the MWO at 5529 1880, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration at 63459324, or the assistance to nationals section of the Philippine Consulate at 9155 4023.