The Gabriela Women’s Party-list has formally asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to investigate a puzzling drop in their vote count during the May 12 midterm elections.
In a letter to Comelec Chair George Garcia, Gabriela said that data from the poll body’s transparency server showed they had 252,562 votes at 2:03 AM, but by 2:20 AM, the number had mysteriously dropped by over 49,000. Screenshots of the tally were attached to support their claim.
“This sudden and unexplained reduction is alarming. It threatens the transparency of the process and could disenfranchise the marginalized women we represent,” the party said.
Comelec has previously addressed similar concerns, clarifying that the issue likely stemmed from duplicated transmissions due to an aggregation software glitch. Garcia assured the public that no “vote shaving or padding” occurred and emphasized that the official Comelec website should be used as the primary source for accurate, uninterrupted data.
Gabriela, however, continues to push for a manual recount to ensure the vote’s integrity. The party also noted it has been the target of red-tagging and harassment throughout the campaign.
“Our supporters deserve answers. System errors and intimidation must not silence the voices of the women who rely on Gabriela to defend their rights,” said party leaders Arlene Brosas and Sarah Elago in the letter.