Presidential candidates (from left) Ernesto Abella, Leody de Guzman, Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso, Norberto Gonzales, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Faisal Mangondato, Dr. Jose Montemayor Jr., Sen. Manny Pacquiao, and Vice President Leni Robredo. Not in photo: Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (PNA photo by Avito Dalan)
MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday said Filipinos should look forward to the results of the actual elections and not rely on exit polls.
Commissioner George Garcia in a press conference that votes will be counted only on May 9.
“Once the votes are counted, that is the best exit poll," he said. "Let us remember that, in the same manner as surveys, the exit polls are not very accurate.”
Garcia, however, said such activities are not banned under election laws.
Exit polls is a survey of voters taken immediately after they have voted at polling precincts.
"The issue on exit polls has been decided already by the Supreme Court. Therefore, we cannot easily regulate this," he said.
In a 2000 decision, the Supreme Court said “holding of exit polls and the dissemination of their results through mass media constitute an essential part of the freedoms of speech and of the press. Hence, the Comelec cannot ban them totally in the guise of promoting clean, honest, orderly and credible elections”.
Once exit polls undermine the results of the polls, that would be another matter, Garcia said.
"We will respect the exit polls. But anytime that it undermines the integrity of the process, we would include that in our investigation," he said.
Gun ban
Meanwhile, 2,470 people have been arrested as of Sunday for violating the election gun ban, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.
The PNP said 2,403 of those nabbed were civilians, 41 security guards, 15 police officers, and 11 military personnel.
A total of 2,366 police operations gathered 1,900 firearms, 10,558 pieces of ammunition, and 896 deadly weapons.
The top five regions in terms of the number of arrested violators are the National Capital Region with 857, followed by Central Visayas (279), Calabarzon (255), Central Luzon (193), and Western Visayas (146). (With a report from Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/PNA)
