Koko says his random manual audit to help address future poll problems

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III yesterday said the objective for conducting his own random manual audit of the May 13 polls is to help address problems that may arise in future elections.

Pimentel also said the debates between Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. and his critics about the sanctity of the automated elections should end now.

One way to do this, he said, is to let the Senate perform its oversight functions.

The senator said that Brillantes himself noted the discrepancies between the automated and manual counting of votes as indicated in the report of the Random Manual Audit Committee (RMAC).

Brillantes, however, downplayed the discrepancies, saying they were too minimal to cause alarm among the electorate.

“I guess in order to end this debate going on in the media about the type of discrepancy that was found in the random manual audit, my committee would conduct its own random manual audit to experience first hand the process and find out why there were discrepancies,” Pimentel said over his radio program on dzRH.

He said he would ask for a copy of the RMAC report from the Comelec tomorrow.

After reviewing the report, Pimentel said he would hold a hearing to conduct his own random manual audit of the votes cast in at least one precinct.

“Chairman Brillantes is always saying that the human count will never be equal to the machine count. I want to know why,” he said.

“We will get to the bottom of this. The discussions in the media are confusing so we need a scientific way to determine whose version is right based on the experience of the people,” he added.

Pimentel encouraged the members of the academe to conduct their own parallel random manual audits so that he could compare notes with them once he concludes his own audit.

The senator said the right to vote does not end with the successful casting of ballots during elections. He said it is also important to ensure that the poll results are accurate and reflective of the true will of the people.

“I don’t think the Comelec would object to this, but I do need their cooperation because I need them to surrender at least one (ballot) box to me,” he said.