Understanding the Partial Unofficial Tally Discrepancy
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) addressed concerns about the alleged discrepancies in the partial unofficial tally of votes for Eleksyon 2025. Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia clarified that the so-called “discrepancy” arises not from the official results but from how external groups handle the data.
During a media briefing, Garcia emphasized that entities receiving election returns (ERs) from polling precincts, including media organizations, must use software to “clean” the data and prevent duplication. He explained, “Hindi Comelec ang naglilinis. Wala kaming kinakailangan linisin. Wala kaming kinakailangan ayusin. Bawal kami mag-process sapagkat real-time ang results galing sa amin…. Sa media, kinakailangan ‘yung nakadepende sa media server na kumukuha, kinakailangan maglinis para accurate at tumutugma sa tinatanggap ng Comelec.”
In essence, the Comelec does not modify or process the data; their results are real-time and continuous. However, media outlets and other recipients using the Comelec media server must clean their data to ensure accuracy and avoid double counting.
Reasons Behind the Vote Discrepancy in Tally
The chairperson further explained the root of the problem: “Sumobra, sabi ng 5 million. Sapagkat hindi nagkaroon ng sinasabing program para malinis ang nadodoble as a result of processing. Walang dagdag-bawas na nangyari. Ang pagbabasehan niyo lagi kasi… ‘yung Comelec website na nilalabas namin kasi ang Comelec website walang interruption. Tuloy-tuloy na nangyayari.”
This means that some reports showed an excess of around five million votes due to the absence of a program that removes duplicated transmissions during data processing. Importantly, no votes were added or subtracted unlawfully. The official Comelec website remains uninterrupted and continuously updated, serving as the most reliable source for accurate results.
How Data Duplication Occurs During Transmission
Earlier, media outlets noticed a decrease in votes in partial unofficial results, even as election returns continued to increase. Investigation revealed that transmissions sent by precincts were duplicated during consolidation on the Comelec server.
An official explained that the discrepancy could stem from the aggregation tool used. For example, if data from 10 precincts was sent initially, and then a new batch was transmitted while the previous data was still uploading, it could result in duplicated entries.
National Board of Canvassers Resumes Official Counting
Meanwhile, the Comelec, acting as the National Board of Canvassers, reconvened to accept certificates of canvass from international posts and 83 provinces. These official documents will be counted as the official votes for the candidates, ensuring the legitimacy of the final tally.
For more updates and related content on Eleksyon 2025, visit Filipinokami.com.