MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday said transmission logs in connection with the May 9 national and local polls are available before the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Automated Election System (JCOC-AES).
Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said those who are asking for a copy of such data can secure it with the said committee.
"This is a voluminous document so we cannot just give it to anyone asking for it. It is better if they get it from the JCOC as this has been submitted under oath and are, therefore, considered as official," he said in a radio interview.
The poll body official noted that the documents were submitted to the JCOC which is required under the law.
On the other hand, he said a request is needed before the Comelec en banc or before the courts with regard to the preservation of the transmission logs beyond six months.
"A request can be made for the Commission en banc to order the further preservation of the data. Interested parties may also go to the Court to seek issuance of precautionary protection order regarding this," Laudiangco added.
Under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, computer data shall be preserved for a minimum period of six months from the date of the transaction, and authorities may order a one-time extension for another six months before they are allowed to be destroyed.
Laudiangco made the remark after former Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. urged the poll body to provide them with transmission logs in order to verify their observations of discrepancy.
Rio is also planning to file a petition before the Supreme Court to seek the preservation of the transmission logs beyond Nov. 9. (PNA)
