BAGUIO CITY — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia told reporters here that they are going to mobilize Task Force Respect to combat questionable surveys.

Garcia said they have observed countless online surveys and groups distributing survey forms to numbers of so-called voters to gauge public sentiment on certain candidates or political parties.

He said they do not know the basis and processes these survey groups use.

Garcia said that conducting surveys is legal. However, he stressed that the final decision on who will win the elections lies with legitimate voters. He also noted that while some survey platforms are registered with the Comelec, many are not.

“Registered survey groups with Comelec will surely welcome this because it will determine their credibility compared to unregistered ones,” Garcia said.

He explained that the task force will be composed of Comelec staff who will focus on determining how survey groups arrive at their findings — who is favored most and who is less popular among voters.

He said this is also to identify those who are paid and those who receive commissions. Aside from promoting equal opportunities for all candidates, “this is also to drive out useless surveys.”

Garcia revealed they will also form an anti-discrimination task force that will combat any form of unequal treatment against candidates. He emphasized that no candidate should be discriminated against based on their beliefs, religion or status, among others.