The Manila City Prosecutor’s Office has agreed to reschedule the preliminary investigation on the cybercrime complaint filed by defeated vice presidential candidate Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. against Smartmatic and the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
The prosecutor’s office reset the investigation to June 17 after Smartmatic’s lawyers asked an extension to answer the complaint and to file their counter-affidavit.
Marcos, who lost the May 2016 vice presidential bid after a tight race, to Liberal Party vice presidential bet Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, earlier filed a complaint against Smartmatic and Comelec personnel for alleged violation of the anti-cybercrime law.
Marcos’ camp asserted the poll body and Smartmatic committed security breach in the election server, after a Smartmatic personnel changed the script in the transparency server without informing a Comelec official.
The senator said the move was suspicious after it caused an increase in the number of votes for Robredo. The Comelec defended the altered “code” was made to change candidates names appearing with “ñ.”
His camp has requested the Comelec to allow their information technology (IT) experts to audit the transparency and central servers but the poll body rejected their appeal. (Hannah L. Torregoza)