Brillantes says second automated polls turned out better

MANILA, Philippines - Despite the problems reported in the use of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines in the country’s second automated elections last Monday, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes maintained this year’s election was better than in 2010.

Brillantes said there were fewer PCOS machines that malfunctioned in this year’s elections than in 2010.

“About 200 plus malfunctioned, it’s lower than 400 in 2010,” he said.

The number of PCOS machines, however, increased from 76,000 in 2010 to 78,000 this year.

Brillantes said there are many people saying this year’s automated election was better than in 2010.

Asked to comment on suggestions not to use the PCOS in future elections, Brillantes said he would issue a statement “after we finish all these.”

On Monday, Brillantes said the conduct of the May 2013 elections was generally successful despite some technical glitches.

He said the defective PCOS were immediately replaced or fixed, thus preventing delays in the voting.

Smartmatic-Asia Pacific president Cesar Flores earlier said technical glitches are inevitable.

Smartmatic is the Comelec’s technology provider for the May 13 elections.

Some precincts, however, reportedly encountered problems with paper jams and overheating PCOS machines.

Comelec provincial election supervisor Elmo Duque in Bulacan said the humid weather and rough handling of the machines could have caused the malfunction.

“It was very hot on Monday, that’s why many of the PCOS overheated,” he said.

Duque said at least 18 PCOS machines had malfunctioned in San Jose del Monte, Meycauayan, Malolos, and the towns of Baliwag, Balagtas, Bulakan, Guiguinto, Hagonoy, Marilao, Plaridel, San Rafael, Bustos, and Paombong during the elections.

He said the reports showed no less than three PCOS machines malfunctioned in almost every town and city of the province.

Duque, however, dispelled fears that PCOS malfunction could affect the credibility of the election on the possibility that it might be used as a factor in filing of election protests.

He said defective PCOS machines might be replaced before the conduct of the national elections in 2016.

Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) chair Henrietta de Villa said only less than one percent, or 229 PCOS machines out of the total 78,661, malfunctioned on Monday.

De Villa expressed confidence that the PCOS malfunction would not affect the results of the national elections.

Even if they encountered problems with some of the machines last Monday, De Villa believes these machines could be used for one more election.

As for the 229 PCOS machines that malfunctioned, she said these should be augmented or replaced with new ones.

 De Villa said Comelec should also determine if the defects were caused by lack of spare parts, insufficient testing or other physical factors.

 To ensure that they would last longer, De Villa suggested to Comelec to have them periodically maintained and tested even if there is no forthcoming election. They should also be placed in a warehouse with low humidity, she said.

No need for manual counting

A ranking official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday said the Comelec should own up to the flaws in the PCOS machines that marred Monday’s elections.

CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Bioethics (ECB) chair Bishop Jose Oliveros said, “Comelec should be transparent. It should accept responsibility for the many failures of the PCOS machine. It should also accept the fact that computers can be hacked and election results could be questionable. Thus, we may have the possibility of illegally elected officials.”

When asked if the country should consider reverting to manual counting because of the glitches caused by the PCOS, Oliveros said, “I think we should consider it.”

Former CBCP president Iloilo Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said, “the matter must be decided seriously and carefully.”

CBCP-National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace chairman Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said Comelec should first recognize the problems in the PCOS before resorting to any alternative.

Marbel, South Cotabato Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez, for his part, believes there is no need to return to manual counting of votes during elections but authorities should start making preparations for the next election.– With Dino Balabo, Evelyn Macairan, Jaime Laude