Group warns of poll manipulation in 2016

MANILA, Philippines - A group promoting clean elections yesterday warned of electronic manipulation of poll results in 2016.

The Citizens for Clean and Credible Elections (C3E) said the results of the 2016 elections could be tampered if the Commission on Elections (Comelec) would again tap the services of the Smartmatic.

Hermenegildo Estrella Jr., one of the convenors of C3E, said the Comelec should exclude Smartmatic from participating in the electoral exercise, citing documented technical glitches in the 2010 and 2013 elections.

The group vowed to keep an eye on the preparations being done by the Comelec and the public informed.

The Comelec has started the bidding for the supply of over P2 billion worth of voting machines and the refurbishment of 82,000 units of precint count optical scan (PCOS) machines it bought from Smartmatic.

Smartmatic is among the companies that bought bid documents.

Pablo Manalastas of election watchdog AES  Watch said Smartmatic should be disqualified from the bidding due to alleged inefficiency during the previous elections.

But Smartmatic yesterday expressed willingness to offer their services to the Comelec, including the refurbishing of PCOS.

Smartmatic Philippines president Cesar Flores said as manufacturers of the PCOS machines, they could provide services such as maintenance, upgrade, and refurbishing to the poll body. 

Flores said it's up to the Comelec to decide on the matter.