Claim: All poll watchers have the right to take pictures of voter receipts, according to Comelec Resolution No. 11076.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: A Facebook user with 27,000 followers made two posts calling on all poll watchers to take photos of verifiable paper audit trails (VVPATs) or voter receipts. The more popular post has garnered 626 shares, 398 reactions, and 25 comments.
As proof of this claim, the user attached screenshots of Section 16d of Comelec Resolution No. 11076, which states that poll watchers have the right to “[t]ake photos or videos of the proceedings and incidents, if any, during FTS, counting of votes, transmission, and printing of election returns (ERs), and the scanning of the VVPAT provided the secrecy of the ballot shall be maintained at all times.”
The post’s caption explains that taking these photos is allowed so that poll watchers can independently count the votes at a later time and then compare their count to the official election returns (ER).
“The secrecy of the ballots will not be compromised and this will not interfere with the election process as this will be done after the ER has already been transmitted,” the caption adds.
The facts: The false posts misinterpret the Comelec Resolution No. 11076. In a May 10 post, the Comelec clarified that poll watchers may only take photos of the proceedings inside the precinct, but not the receipts themselves.
“Kailanman ay hindi naging legal ang pagkuha ng litrato ng balota at ng VVPAT dahil lumalabag ito sa ballot secrecy na karapatan ng bawat botante,” the commission added.
(It has never been legal to take pictures of the ballot and VVPAT because doing so violates every voter’s right to ballot secrecy.)
Taking photos of voter receipts is an election offense that can lead to up to six years of jail time.
Furthermore, the Commission explained that only the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) is allowed to scan these receipts for selected clustered precincts. This will be the first time Namfrel will be allowed to do so.
Other poll watchers and watchdogs are allowed to take photos only of proceedings and incidents during final testing and sealing, transmission, printing of ERs, and scanning of voter receipts.
Voter receipts: A voter receipt is a printed summary of the votes on a ballot after it is scanned by a vote-counting machine. The receipts were first rolled out during the 2016 elections after the Supreme Court (SC) ordered the Comelec to do so.
Aside from photos of this receipt being disallowed, voters cannot bring voter receipts outside the polling place after voting. Doing so is also an election offense punishable by up to six years in prison.
In the past, election watchdogs have asked for poll watchers to be allowed to take photos of receipts for audit purposes. But their petition in 2019 was dismissed by the SC, which invoked the constitutional principle of ballot secrecy.
“Notably, the VVPAT reflects the votes of a voter. Allowing the poll watcher or even the voters to take a picture of their VVPATs during the casting of votes may run contrary to the constitutional policy of keeping the ballots’ secrecy and sanctity,” said the Court.
Previous fact-checks: Rappler has published several election-related fact checks in the run-up to the May 12 elections:
- FACT CHECK: Comelec’s ballot is not prone to overvote due to ink bleeding
- FACT CHECK: Comelec not hiring poll watchers for May 12 elections
- FACT CHECK: 2025 midterm elections on May 12, no date change
- FACT CHECK: No 24-hour curfew in Cavite from May 1 to 15, 2025
- FACT CHECK: Post links Pasig City hall project to Vico Sotto 2028 Senate bid without proof
– Shay Du/Rappler.com
Shay Du is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
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