Watchdog wants BBM emergency alert probed

MANILA, Philippines — Election watchdog Kontra Daya urged the Commission on Elections and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to conduct an investigation into the apparent illegal use of the “emergency alert system” supposedly to promote the candidacy of former senator Bongbong Marcos.

It emphasized that using the alert system is a political statement to show they have the wherewithal to win the 2022 polls even if it means stealing, cheating and hijacking their way to do so.

In a statement, Kontra Daya said it is not enough for the Comelec to just say that the action is “ill-advised” and for the NDRRMC to simply deny sending the message. It emphasized the need to identify the persons responsible for the act.

“If the incident goes unchecked, this could be repeated on a grander scale from now until election day. This is not just intrusive to mobile phone users, but also offensive to those who want clean and transparent elections,” the statement read in part.

Kontra Daya said only Marcos and his supporters would benefit from the “hijacking of the emergency alert” to engage in a “de facto” premature campaigning for the May 2022 national and local elections.

It also emphasized that the National Telecommunications Commission should identify “both the buyers and sellers of the technology used by the Marcos camp” after an NTC official said that the agency will probe the incident, and formally charge the persons responsible.

The group said it is very concerned about the other “dirty tactics” that these politicians will bring to cyberspace and other social media platforms.

Marcos denied that he and his camp had any hand in the “emergency level” alert sent out after he filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) last Wednesday.

Individuals at the vicinity of the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City received the alert, which is usually reserved only for times of calamity or danger.

But in an interview with CNN Philippines yesterday, Marcos said he “had no idea” what happened on the alerts.

“I was shocked. The message was not about an impending crisis or disaster. It was about me. I immediately asked, ‘Why? I hope we have nothing to do with this.’ It is wrong. This should not be done. And so, everybody we asked that has anything to do with IT and social media, they told me they had nothing to do with it,” he claimed.

Marcos said he is waiting for the results of the NTC probe.

Victor Rodriguez, Marcos’ chief of staff, earlier said their camp is supporting the NTC’s probe.

“We should not tolerate underhanded moves to trivialize this tool meant to forewarn the Filipinos of an impending, actual or post disaster event or scenario. We hope that the responsible parties do not interfere with government systems just to operate political sabotage against presidential aspirant Marcos,” the statement, posted on Wednesday, said. – Ralph Edwin Villanueva