By Joel R. San Juan & Lenie Lectura
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) should also go after social-media trolls, aside from hackers, who are responsible for disseminating wrong information that tend to undermine the country’s election process.
In an interview, Romulo Macalintal, a Comelec lawyer, said online trolls and other individuals or groups engaged in a disinformation campaign to discredit government efforts to hold peaceful and orderly elections can be charged criminally under the Omnibus Election Code.
Macalintal said the Comelec must find ways to unmask these trolls like what it is now doing to identify those responsible for hacking its database and leaking vital information about millions of voters online.
Meanwhile, the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said its distribution network is 96-percent prepared for the May 9 national elections.
“Overall, Meralco is ready on the distribution side for elections. We continue to coordinate with the different stakeholders like NGCP [National Grid Corp. of the Philippines] and suppliers. Right now, we are at 96-percent ready,” Meralco Spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga said.
“Our networks say we’ll be 100-percent ready a week before elections,” he said.
Meralco said it is ready to deploy 756 crews/manned vehicles to respond to any untoward incidents. It will also tap 60 of its accredited contractors if there is a need for such.
“The Comelec and the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] should also investigate. If the NBI managed to catch the hacker of the Comelec’s database, it might be able to identify those responsible for disseminating misinformation that undermines the elections,” Macalintal said.
These trolls, he said, could be held liable under Section 261, Article 22 of the Omnibus Election Code, which enumerates all types of election-related offenses and frauds.
Article XXII Section 261, Paragraph (z)(11) states: “Any person who, for the purpose of disrupting or obstructing the election process or causing confusion among the voters, propagates false and alarming reports or information or transmits or circulates false orders, directives or messages regarding any matter relating to the printing of official ballots, the postponement of the election, the transfer of polling place or the general conduct of the election.” Macalintal said, if found guilty, offenders can face between one year and six years of imprisonment, and may be deprived of his or her right to vote.
Meanwhile, Macalintal also admitted Comelec officials can be held liable for the hacking and leakage of voter information. Macalintal said the poll body is not free from any liability despite considering itself as a “victim.”
“They have liability dahil lahat ng public officials, in the performance of their function, dapat pinangangalagaan ang property ng pamahalaan. And these are properties of the government,” he said.
Macalintal said the Comelec should conduct its own investigation to determine how the hacking happened and who are the persons held liable for the agency’s failure to secure its system.
“Somebody in Comelec who was negligent in the performance of his or her duty in protecting information must really answer,” Macalintal said.
The investigation, he said, should determine how high should accountability be applied.
The utility firm has inspected all 2,900 polling centers. Meralco, he said, will install poster reminders on election safety and energy conservation on these polling centers.
“We had 5,700 delivered last week to Meralco and deploying this week. All polling centers will have posters by May 6. We have over 200 gensets and 400 floodlights, which will come in handy just in case there are uncontrollable events like damaged posts,” Zaldariaga said.
Lastly Meralco will activate its ILP (Interruptible Load Program) in case of any emergency.
“We would like to assure the public, especially the voters, that we are ready to serve and respond to any issues or concerns. For elections, we see adequate, comfortable levels of reserves. We still encourage large customers to practice energy efficiency. Since elections are a holiday, overall demand will be low so we do not see any problems,” Zaldarriaga said.
Meanwhile, the NGCP said it is exerting all efforts to clear vital transmission lines critical to Mindanao’s power supply.
“The lines we want cleared are backbone lines, critical to the stability of the grid. We are committed to ensuring that transmission facilities are reliable come election day,” NGCP Spokesman Cynthia Perez-Alabanza said.
NGCP personnel could not conduct clearing operations because landowners refused their entry.
The grid operator has successfully negotiated about half of the 29 identified claimants, but there are two “seem unwilling to negotiate with us.” They were identified as Diron Aki Manala-O, who asked to be paid P6 million as against NGCP’s computation of P864,746, and Baro Mangoda, who demanded to be paid P10 million, as against a valuation of P586,875.
“Others just do not want to negotiate. We want to emphasize that the negotiation is payment of improvements, not the purchase of lands. Most of these improvements are comprised of intentionally planted tress and built structures. These are built beneath transmission lines and around transmission towers, which are supposed to be clear of all impediments which may cause trippings. These trees and structures should not have been there in the first place,” Alabanza said.