PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur (PIA) — The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has clarified allegations about the misuse of QR codes by political groups in the last elections, assuring the public that such claims are baseless.
During the recent Kapihan sa Rehiyon Nueve, a local media representative raised a concern about a political group in the first district of this province allegedly claiming that through QR (quick response) codes, they could determine who voted for them. This claim reportedly deceived some voters.
Attorney Glory Grace Nodado debunks the issue allegedly claiming that political parties have access to the ballots through QR codes.
Lawyer Glory Grace O. Nodado, administrative and legal officer of COMELEC in the region debunked this issue, stating, “for the QR Code, I would like to totally debunk that. For the security codes, any party will not have access to our ballots.”
According to Nodado, even their security marks are different from one ballot to another, and the position of these security marks (in the ballots), is actually beyond reach for any other political candidate.
When asked about possible sanctions for groups spreading such disinformation, Nodado explained that while the act may deceive voters, it does not meet the threshold for criminal prosecution.
“As for the sanctions, in that case, that is not actually a threat nor a violence. There is a rapid increase of disinformation. While it will be injurious to a person, we cannot prosecute it then and there,” she said.
Instead, COMELEC’s immediate course of action is to address disinformation, especially if it appears online.
She encouraged the public to be more discerning when it comes to claims about QR codes. She added that those with concerns may write to COMELEC for official clarification, as the allegations of QR code access are not true.
COMELEC reminds voters to verify information through official channels and avoid falling prey to misleading claims during the election season. (EDT/HTB/PIA9 Zamboanga del Sur)
