THE PARISH Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) encountered technical challenges and discrepancies in election data, leading to delays in their usual reporting.
In a statement released on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, the PPCRV explained that the initial data received after 8:15 p.m. was in varied file formats, hindering the immediate release of figures.
Further complicating matters, the watchdog noted inconsistencies between the internal counts and publicly reported data from other transparency servers.
“Out of an abundance of caution and our commitment to accuracy, we held off publishing the results while we verified the data,” the PPCRV stated.
Following a thorough analysis, the PPCRV confirmed that their data, while initially appearing different, was ultimately accurate due to proper filtering of duplicate entries. They have now released this verified dataset.
However, the PPCRV also highlighted a significant discrepancy between their data and figures published on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) public access website regarding election return receipts.
While Comelec’s dashboard indicated approximately 98.75% transmission, the PPCRV’s received results file only accounted for 79.9% of election returns.
They are currently coordinating with the poll body to understand and resolve this discrepancy, expressing confidence that the complete data will be provided soon.
The PPCRV emphasized the increased importance of audit activities, such as the random manual audit (RMA) and unofficial parallel count (UPC).
The RMA aims to address potential issues arising from misinterpreted or unintentional votes, a common occurrence on election day. On the other hand, the UPC will compare physical election returns with transmitted returns, ensuring accuracy even in cases of delayed transmissions.
“So the work of auditing starts today,” the PPCRV stated, underscoring the immediate commencement of their audit process.
The organization reiterated its commitment to transparency and integrity, assuring the public that it will continue to seek clarification and maintain public trust in the electoral process.
“We remain committed to our role as a citizens’ arm and will continue to seek clarification and ensure public trust in the process,” PPCRV concluded.
