BARMM Poll Audit: 99.99% Accurate, PSA Reports

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that a Random Manual Audit (RMA) conducted for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary election found the automated election system (AES) to be 99.99561 percent accurate. This finding is based on results from all 21 sampled clustered precincts audited as of September 23. The PSA's summary report indicated that the audit covered 100 percent, or all 21 selected sample clustered precincts for the BARMM parliamentary polls. The audit revealed no variance between the AES results and manual counts for two of the three positions reviewed. Specifically, for the regional parliament political party race, both the AES and the manual audit recorded 7,614 votes, resulting in a 100 percent accuracy rate. Similarly, for the member of parliament from the sectoral group for settler communities, the AES and manual counts both tallied 12,006 votes, also posting a 100 percent accuracy rate. The only discrepancy was noted in the district representative to the Bangsamoro parliament race. The AES count showed 7,592 votes, while the manual audit recorded 7,591 votes, reflecting a variance of one vote and an accuracy rate of 99.98683 percent. The PSA reported that the overall variance across all audited positions amounted to a single vote. The random manual audit is conducted to verify the accuracy of election returns generated by the automated election system by comparing them with manually counted ballots from randomly selected precincts. This audit serves as a crucial step in ensuring the transparency and integrity of the electoral process. The 80 winners in the Bangsamoro parliamentary polls are scheduled to be formally sworn in on October 30, after which they will select the head of the regional government. Their mandate will span a five-year period, concluding on June 30, 2031. The BARMM conducted its inaugural parliamentary elections on September 14, drawing 2,018,478 voters, which represented 84.34 percent of the region's 2.393 million registered voters. This high turnout signifies strong public engagement in the region's political process. Meanwhile, President Ferdinand Marcos congratulated interim BARMM chief minister and Bangsamoro Federalist Party chairman Abdulraof Macacua for what the administration described as the "successful" conduct of the first parliamentary polls on Wednesday at Malacañang.