Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III has called for a Senate inquiry into the legality and implementation of internet voting for overseas Filipinos in the 2025 elections.
In Senate Resolution No. 1344, Pimentel asked the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms to investigate whether the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) had the authority to launch the system, and if it meets standards for transparency, security, and voter verifiability.
He raised concerns over system glitches, missing vote receipts, and QR code errors reported by voters abroad. Some users said the platform was inaccessible or confusing, while others noted that QR codes generated by the system failed to match or display voting data correctly.
“These incidents have circulated widely on social media platforms and news outlets, amplifying fears of possible electoral fraud or technical failure,” said Pimentel.
”This highlights the urgent need to assess whether the internet voting system sufficiently meets standards of security, transparency, voter verifiability, and electoral accountability.”
As of April 21, only 80,000 of the 1.2 million registered overseas voters had signed up for internet voting—a low turnout Pimentel linked to doubts about the system’s legality and reliability.
He also cited a Supreme Court petition questioning whether COMELEC had the legal authority to implement online voting without congressional approval.
Under Republic Act No. (RA) 9189, as amended by RA 10590, COMELEC is allowed to explore new voting methods but must first submit recommendations to the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee.
“There are those who hold the legal position that the two cited sections of the law must be read together and would result in the conclusion that the COMELEC does not have the authority to motu proprio adopt online voting,” said Pimentel.IMT
