Press Release
March 17, 2022

JOINT PRESSCON OF SENATOR IMEE MARCOS AND SENATE PRESIDENT TITO SOTTO III
Ilustrado resto, Intramuros, Manila
March 17, 2022

Sen. Imee:

Given that the election is upon us, what is clear is that Art Samaniego, Manila Bulletin and the media have been the best watchdogs. There indeed was a security breach in the Smartmatic operations that appears to be clear and while it is being investigated further by the NBI the CIC, the NPC and other groups. We have to admit that a very serious breach occurred. It may not be technically hacking, however, we feel it compromises the processes and operations of Smartmatic in very serious ways.

SP Sotto: I consulted the members and I made a motion to divulge what transpired in the executive session because of the issue of transparency, we want to make sure that everything connected to the elections of 2022 is transparent and available to the public. Of course, there are serious considerations when it comes to the names that we can not divulge because of being the persons of interest. So we leave it to the chairperson, kung ano yung mga pwede nyang itawag.

Satisfied ka ba sa sinabi ni Comm. Casquejo?

Sotto: Well, he has apologized for that particular order, ang sinasabi because of the pandemic, ganun- ganon, but they have practically open it up already so therefore, let see, basta as long as we are allowed also to check randomly those who have been printed.

Reporter: Ano ang extent ng alam ninyo sa security breach?

Nasa facebook, makikita ninyo sa isang XFOS, andun nakalatag kung ano anong impormasyon. Ngayon sinasabi nila yung information daw doon yung iba bulok na. 2016 pa. may mga personal information. Ganunpaman, kinakabahan ako kasi may mga procedure nang Smartmatic, ang kanilang mga ledger, may mga picture ng kanilang opisina, may mga contact person sa COMELEC, pati detalye kung sinong nag-go-golf at kung sinong umiinom ng red wine. Andun lahat sa facebook, nakapagtataka, kaya medyo kinakabahan tayo to that degree. The depths and breath of the data that's been release and still publicly available as far as I know.

Sen. Imee:

Nandun nakita ko, and they may be involve in criminal hacking syndicate yan xfos. Makikita naman ninyo yun.

SP Sotto: With your permission, Sen. Imee. I think this is part of what we can divulge. Ah merong empleyado ang Smartmatic na nilabas yung laptop nya at hinayaan, well not hack, hinayaang makopya ng a certain group. I think that as far as we can go at this point.

Reporter: Anong impormasyon na kinopya nila?

SP Sotto: Ayun, yung mga impormasyon na sinasabi ni Sen. Imee.

Sen. Imee: Yung mga laman na sinasabi ko. Sabi nila mga luma na daw yun 2016. Pero di natin alam may ballot face ng 2022, pero sinasabi nila naka-website daw yan. Ganunpaman, masyadong personal yung ibang detalye, nakakanerbiyos, pati yung mga flowchart yung mga processess ng Smartmatic, may mga passwords, user words, sabi nila bulok na at non-usable nevertheless the wealth of detail and depth of knowledge is a little bit alarming.

Reporter: Kelan nyo at papaano niyo ilalabas in public ang reports na ito?

Sen. Imee: Ang totoo tulad ng sinabi ni Senate President, we don't jeopardize the investigations, the search warrant have been issued the other operations of both NBI, the DICT, the CICC, the NPC (NATIONAL PRIVACY COMMISSION) and Smartmatic itself. Smartmatic claims that they have an administrative investigation on-going so, without jeopardizing it, we will share with the public at the soonest possible opportunity all the information that we have.

Suffice to say, the media was right something did happened despite the vociferous denials of all institutions concern in the past two years. Ikatlo na ito, nag-JCOC na kami, nag-public hearing na ang komite, ngayon nag-executive session, natumbukan ng bigla na mayroon pala talagang nangyari.

Oo, naman two times na nagmiting kasama ang mga congressman ung JCOC, ngayon lang nasabi na meron pala talagang kababalaghan na nangyari, dati kasi deny to death e.

Reporter: Will it change the results of the election?

Sen. Imee: Well I don't know but the potential for very serious security breach is now there. Because it appears that Smartmatic all these contractual employees who have access to these very controversial data locations and other facilities. It's rather alarming, the COMELEC has said, tapos na yun. Di na raw sila papayagan tapos na yung refurbishment. Naayos na raw ung Sta. Rosa facility wala ng makakapasok doon. Subalit, ano pa yung access ng mga contractual employees, itong mga take home na mga issued laptop at saka binibigyan ng remote access ang iba't-ibang mga tao.

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