NDBC BANTAY HALALAN 2022

MANILA – Software provider Smartmatic Inc. on Monday assured that the May 2022 elections would be secure and no data breach of their servers.

During a House hearing, Smartmatic Legal Counsel Christopher Louie Ocampo said the Automated Election System (AES) source code and software were subjected to extensive audits, both locally and internationally.

Ocampo said Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) servers and infrastructure are independent and that the poll body never shares electoral data with Smartmatic

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has not seen any compelling reason yet to endorse a presidential candidate, Malacañang said on Saturday.

During the “Ask Me Anything, Anywhere” segment aired on his Facebook page, acting Presidential Spokesperson and Communications Secretary Martin Andanar maintained that Duterte has yet to pick his preferred successor.

CALAMBA, Misamis Occodental -- Gipusal sa wala pa mailhi nga suspect si mayoral candidate George Garwin Matunog duol sa bagong pag-ablihan nga 7/11 Calamba Branch karong buntag.

Galakaw padulong sa 7/11 branch ang biktima og gasunod kaniya ang escort sa dihang mi-overtake ang usa ka single motor nga adunay angkas og mao kini ang mipusil kay Matunog sa nawog.

Gidala gidayon sa nirespondeng police car si Matunog sa Calamba District Hospital.

COTABATO CITY --- Members of the Moro National Liberation Front are supporting the efforts of the Commission on Elections in ensuring a peaceful electoral exercise on May 9, 2020, a senior MNLF official said Saturday.

Bangsamoro Labor Minister Romeo Sema, vice chairman for political affairs of the MNLF, said all of their members, either registered voters or not, had been directed to help in ensuring peaceful elections on May 9 in their respective municipalities.

CAMP SK PENDATUN, Maguindanao  – Police, military, election officials and political aspirants see peaceful and orderly elections in Maguindanao after the major aspirants signed peace covenant here Thursday.

By Ali G. Macabalang

COTABATO CITY – Former beauty titlist Sarifa Akeel-Mangudadatu is virtually left without a rival in the gubernatorial race for Sultran Kudarat after the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) cancelled the certificate of candidacy of her lone opponent.

The First Division of the COMELEC under Commissioner Rowena Rueda-Guanzon upheld the petition of the female candidate earlier filed against Datu Ali Pax Mangudadatu, sitting mayor of Datu Abdullah Sangki town, Maguindanao, for alleged lack of residency and violation of the Omnibus Election Code provisions.

DATU ODIN SINSUAT, Maguindanao ---The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), in peace with the government since 1996, launched here Saturday its political party, something first since its inception in 1970.

The launching of the MNLF’s Bangsamoro Party (BAPA) here was graced by senior leaders of the front from Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao and from the four provinces in Region 12.

COTABATO CITY —- Ali Tatak, a former fighter of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), said the 2022 elections will be his first time ever to vote to choose municipal or provincial leaders.

He registered as voter in 2019 in Barangay Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, the home-base of the once separatist MILF.

“As MILF member, I did not participate in any election. We were told now is our time to help choose our leaders because it is important for the peace process,” Tatak said in the vernacular in an interview outside Cotabato City.

MANILA – Exactly two weeks after announcing that he is pulling out of the presidential race, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go has officially withdrawn his candidacy at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Manila Tuesday morning.

At about 4 p.m. Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte showed up at Comelec office and withdrew his certificate of candidacy for senator in next year's elections.

This was confirmed by Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez said on Tuesday afternoon. -ed)

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential aspirant and Senator Bong Go today announced his withdrawal from the presidential race, saying he came up with the decision after consulting his family and Pres. Duterte.

“Ayaw rin talaga ng aking pamilya kaya naisip ko na siguro ay hindi ko pa panahon sa ngayon. Diyos lang ang nakakaalam kung kailan ang tamang panahon. Ayaw ko ring maipit si Pangulong Duterte higit pa sa tatay ang pagmamahal ko sa kanya,” the Mindanao lawmaker told reporters in a brief interview.