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Malacanang reiterated on Wednesday that President Rodrigo Duterte wants the Commission on Elections ( Comelec) to tap a "fraud-free" technology provider for the 2022 national and local elections.

This was despite the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations showing that 4 out of 5 or 80 percent of the Filipinos have expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the midterm elections last May where most of the President's allies won in the senatorial polls.

"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," said Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo in a statement.

Smartmatic has been the Comelec's partner since the first automated elections in 2010.

Earlier, Duterte dared Comelec to dispose of Smartmatic and look for a new one that "is free of fraud."

Panelo noted that based on the SWS survey, 86 percent of the respondents opined that the results of the senatorial elections were "believable."

"The voice of the sovereign people has spoken. The results of the latest survey confirm the desire of the populace for the continuance of the genuine and meaningful change President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has initiated for our country three years ago," he said.

He added that 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." Celerina Monte/DMS