Allegations of Irregularities and Corruption in 2022 Philippine Elections Raised

In a powerful open letter addressed to the Commissioners and Officers of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), retired Colonel Leonardo O. Odoño (Ret) has raised damning allegations of irregularities and corruption during the 2022 presidential elections in the Philippines.

Citing a recent Facebook post by Retired General Eliseo M. Rio Jr., a former Undersecretary of the Department of Information Technology and Communication, Colonel Odoño sheds light on the suspicious transmission of 20 million votes within an implausibly short timeframe.

Colonel Odoño, a member of the year-long investigative team known as the “TNT Trio + 1,” expresses grave concerns over the lack of transparency and evidence surrounding the transmission of the contested 20 million votes. Despite his repeated requests, COMELEC has failed to provide the necessary proof of transmission, offering only what Colonel Odoño describes as “doctored” Reception Logs instead of the promised Transmission Logs.

“The Comelec Chairman DECEIVED us, the TNT Trio + 1, and the public, into believing that Comelec was finally releasing the Transmission Logs… Comelec has violated my constitutional right. I will hold the concerned officials liable under the law,” Colonel Odoño asserts in his letter.

According to the revelations made by General Rio, the 20 million votes in question were non-existent and had been pre-loaded into Smartmatic’s system. Colonel Odoño emphasizes that COMELEC’s refusal to provide evidence of transmission casts serious doubt on the integrity of the entire election process. He states, “NOW WE KNOW why Comelec adamantly refused to give us proof of transmission of the 20 million votes: COMELEC DID NOT HAVE ANY SUCH PROOF!”

General Rio’s analysis of COMELEC’s raw data, available on their own website, indicates that the 20 million votes were transmitted through illegal private networks to the Comelec Transparency Server, bypassing legitimate channels. Colonel Odoño highlights this finding, stating, “NOW WE KNOW, SMARTMATIC, IN CONSPIRACY WITH COMELEC, COMMITTED FRAUD. The concerned officials must be held liable for ‘RIGGING’ the 2022 ELECTIONS, and FOR DEPRIVING US VOTERS OUR RIGHT TO BE GOVERNED BY THOSE WE ELECTED!”

In his open letter, Colonel Odoño appeals to all COMELEC employees, urging them to join forces in rectifying the grave injustice that has marred the reputation of the organization. He acknowledges the bravery and patriotism displayed by the employees of COMELEC’s IT Department, who uploaded the raw files on COMELEC’s website, thereby exposing what he calls the “biggest SCAM in our election history.”

“I join General Rio in commending the employees of Comelec’s IT Department… You guys in the IT Department DESERVE THE NATION’S SALUTE FOR YOUR COURAGE AND PATRIOTISM!” Colonel Odoño passionately states in his letter.

Colonel Odoño concludes his letter by expressing gratitude to Retired General Eliseo M. Rio Jr. for his unwavering dedication in the pursuit of truth. “Let us also thank and commend Ret. General Eliseo M. Jr. for his dedication to our joint mission of finding the truth in the last elections. I salute you, too, General!” he writes.

The contents of this open letter have sparked widespread uproar, intensifying demands for a thorough investigation into the alleged irregularities and corruption during the 2022 Philippine elections. As public trust hangs in the balance, the nation eagerly awaits further developments in this unfolding controversy.