Poll sabotage raps eyed vs hackers

MANILA, Philippines - An official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) proposed that charges of electoral sabotage be filed against people who try to hack the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines to be used in the automated elections in 2010.

Comelec commissioner Armando Velasco said the poll body is confident that hackers would have a hard time tampering with the poll machines even though there is no automation system that is 100-percent fool proof.

“Before they can hack the system, the transmission of (votes) is already over,” he said during the seminar on “Covering Automated Elections and Campaign Finance” recently conducted by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism at the Subic Freeport in Olongapo City.

He added that hackers would not have enough time to manipulate the 80,000 PCOS machines that would be used in the forthcoming polls, since the Comelec will be faster and complete the canvassing of votes before the culprits can sabotage the system.

Velasco said he would formalize and submit to the Comelec for approval his proposal to consider hacking of the polling system electoral sabotage.

Electoral sabotage is the newest provision in Republic Act 9369 or the Poll Automation Law but it does not cover hacking yet. 

Violation of the law is punishable with life imprisonment.

Velasco said the Comelec would have to study if by merely issuing a resolution, hacking could be constituted as a form of electoral sabotage.

“If not, we have to recommend to Congress the amendment of the law. Whichever way, I hope that this can (take effect) in time for the 2010 elections,” he added.