MANILA – Tinitingnan ng Commission on Elections (Comelec) ang mga ulat na nakompromiso ang mga sistema nito.

“With no independent verification that a hack has indeed taken place, one thing immediately stands out: the article alleges that the hackers were able to ‘download files that included, among others, usernames and PINS (personal identification numbers) of vote-counting machines,’” wika ni Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez sa isang pahayag noong Lunes, na tumutukoy sa ulat na inilathala ng isang pahayagan tungkol sa umano’y pag-hack.

“The fact, however, is that such information still does not exist in Comelec systems simply because the configuration files – which includes usernames and PINs – have not yet been completed.”

Gayunpaman, kailangang suriin ang katotohanan ng ulat, sabi ni Jimenez.

“This calls into question the veracity of the hacking claim. As for the rest of the allegations made, please note that the article offers scant substantiation for its assertions despite claiming that the authors had ‘verified that there was an ongoing hack.’ Indeed, the article does not even offer proof of such verification,” idinagdag niya.

Tiniyak din niya sa publiko ang buo at masusing pagsunod ng poll body sa Data Privacy Act, pati na rin ang patuloy na pakikipagtulungan nito sa National Privacy Commission.

Kasabay nito, inimbitahan ni Jimenez ang mga may-akda na bigyang linaw ang kanilang mga paratang, partikular na ang “beripikasyon” na inaangkin nilang ginawa.

“Considering that ‘news’ like this could potentially damage the credibility of the elections, the Comelec stands ready to pursue all available remedies against those who, either deliberately or otherwise, undermine the integrity of the electoral process,” aniya.

Tiniyak niya na ang poll body ay magpapatuloy sa mga pagsisikap nito na patunayan ang mga pahayag na nakasaad sa artikulo.