MANILA, Philippines – Following cyber attacks on the website of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in March, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it has alerted its anti-cybercrime group to provide additional security for the upcoming national elections in May.
This comes after election-related data from the Comelec was leaked by a group called LulzSec Pilipinas before midnight on March 28, just a day after hackers' group Anonymous Philippines defaced the poll body's website. (READ: Experts fear identity theft, scams due to Comelec leak)
The hacking attacks raised concerns about the security of the voting process during the automated elections on May 9, but the Comelec assured the public that it would be able to safeguard their votes.
"From what I heard, the system to be used by Comelec is hack-proof.... But we have alerted our anti-cybercrime group for this eventuality," PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez said on Thursday, April 7.
He added that the PNP is also looking to partner with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to beef up cybersecurity measures.
For his part, Comelec Commissioner Luie Guia stressed the strength of the poll body's encryption system for the voting process.
"It's a whole process. There's a procedure to come up with the results in any case because you have paper ballots, you have picture images of the ballot, you have election returns. In other words, you have multiple copies of election results, and it's very hard for anyone to change the results to game the system," he said.
Guia added that the poll body has sought the help of the DOST and the National Bureau of Investigation to come up with "mitigating procedures" and strengthen security measures.
Ensuring orderly conduct of polls
On Thursday, the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) signed the joint operational guidelines outlining policies and procedures for the orderly conduct of the elections.
This includes the activation of joint security control centers nationwide, conducting security and counter-terrorism operations, enforcing the nationwide gun ban and campaign against undocumented firearms, and establishing PNP checkpoints.
"Time and again we have proven the potency of a strong PNP and AFP partnership," Marquez said after the signing of the guidelines.
"With the joint letter directive to guide our security forces on the ground, we will now move forward with our security operations with greater efficiency.... We will not allow lawless elements to destroy the sanctity of the ballot," he added.
Marquez also said that the PNP will continue to perform its mandate to secure all election-related activities, despite the lack of budget from the Comelec.
Earlier, Marquez said that the PNP has received only P462 million out of the P800 million budget it requested from the poll body.
"Nothing is sufficient, but we'll make do with what's given to us by the Comelec," he said.
He added: "Since January, our personnel have been on the ground conducting checkpoints.... Help us pray that Comelec gives us the full budget."
Asked why the poll body has not yet released the full amount, Guia only cited "budgetary constraints," but promised that the poll body will study the PNP's request. – Rappler.com