By Genalyn Kabiling

President Duterte has renewed his appeal to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to tap a new technology provider in time for the 2022 presidential elections.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said having a fraud-free poll technology provider would be part of the President’s electoral reform legacy to the country.

Panelo made the remarks after welcoming a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey results showing majority of Filipinos were satisfied with the conduct of the modem elections last May.

READ MORE: More Filipinos satisfied with May 2016 polls than May 2019 – SWS

“The President remains committed in asking the Commission on Elections to have a fraud-free technology provider in 2022 as part of his lasting electoral reform legacy to the nation,” Panelo said.

Last May, the President urged Comelec to “dispose” of Smartmatic following the reported irregularities in the past automated elections. He advised the poll body to look for a new technology provider “that is free of fraud.”

READ MORE: Duterte advises Comelec to ‘dispose’ of Smartmatic

The recent elections have been marred by technical glitches, including a seven-hour delay in the release of election results, that triggered concerns about the integrity of the poll results.

Duterte, in a later speech last June, said Smartmatic must be replaced as the country’s technology provider in the automated, warning that some people might revolt if poll irregularities will continue.

Meantime, Panelo said the Palace is “pleased” with the latest survey results that four out of five or 80 percent Filipinos are satisfied with the polls way the midterm elections were conducted.

The June survey also found that 86 percent considered the results for the senatorial elections are “believable,” 88 percent for Congress polls, 84 percent for governors, and 89% for mayors.

“The voice of the sovereign people has spoken,” he said.

He said the survey results have confirmed the public’s desire “for the continuance of the genuine and meaningful change President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has initiated for our country three years ago.”

“The survey results should put to rest the doubt cast by the vociferous and partisan minority upon the integrity of the midterm elections, as well as put a halt to their condescending and elitist remarks on the preference of the Filipino majority,” he said.