Opposition bets Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Kiko Pangilinan on Tuesday, Jan. 11, voiced their concern on the alleged hacking of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) servers and asked the poll body to ensure the integrity of the May 2022 elections for “the welfare of the people".

The statement came amid reports from Manila Bulletin’s Technews team that sensitive voter information may have been compromised after a group of hackers allegedly breached Comelec servers and downloaded more than 60 gigabytes of information that could affect the upcoming polls.

“We are alarmed by the news of an alleged hacking of Comelec servers. We ask Comelec to immediately confirm if it happened and the extent of the compromise involved,” the opposition tandem said.

“We ask the Commission to immediately take steps to ensure that this, or any other similar incident would not affect the integrity of the May 2022 elections,” it added.

READ: Comelec servers hacked; Downloaded data may include information that could affect 2022 elections

Robredo and Pangilinan, who are vying for the presidency and vice presidency, respectively, said the integrity of the polls is for “the welfare of the people more than the candidates".

“This election is for their future and they should not have any doubt about the process and its result,” it read.

MB’s Technews team on Monday, Jan. 10, discovered that a hacker’s group was able to download files that can include, among others, usernames and PINs of the vote-counting machines (VCM).

The team immediately informed Comelec spokesman James Jimenez, who said that the poll body is presently validating the report.

READ: Comelec verifying server hack

He, however, clarified that it is impossible for hackers to download usernames and PINs of VCM because “such information still does not exist in Comelec systems simply because the configuration files—which includes usernames and PINs—have not yet been completed.”

Jimenez maintained that the commission is compliant with the Data Privacy Act.