PCOS can’t be hacked? Pls tell that to the Marines!

Did Commission on Elections (Comelec) chief Sixto Brillantes finally admit what we’ve long suspected about him, that like most of the men of his generation or age, he is scared of the new digital technology? Apparently that’s the latest we got from the Comelec Chairman, who finally bit the proverbial bullet during a Social Media Elections Conference last Thursday, and admitted that he was an “IT illiterate.” Get out of the city Sixto!!!

Yet this was the same man who just a few days ago vehemently pointed out that the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines cannot be hacked and even dared hackers to do so! Come now, is he seriously telling us that Smartmatic’s operating systems, which is owned by Dominion Voting Systems cannot be hack? Gads! Please tell that to the Marines!

Just this week, we learned that the Chinese military has been accused of hacking US military computers and this must include the Pentagon. And the Chinese were literally telling the Americans that they also did it to them. Last Thursday night over Bloomberg TV, talkshow host Charlie Rose was discussing cyber attacks between China and the US. So let’s ask ourselves, if the US or Chinese military computers can be hacked or subjected to a cyber attack, please don’t ever tell me that the PCOS machines cannot be hacked, especially when the one telling you is a self-confessed IT illiterate!

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The big story this week in Cebu came out from the recently concluded Liberal Party (LP) bash in Talisay City last Tuesday, which was rained out and moved indoors to the Tabunok Sports Center. Senatorial bet Grace Poe Llamanzares practically blamed Cebuano voters for her father, action star Fernando Poe, Jr.’s (FPJ) loss. Indeed, Cebuanos were accused of cheating for then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in the 2004 elections. Obviously, Grace Llamanzares has not forgotten or even forgiven the Cebuano voters.

Though this is an old rehashed report, again let me reiterate Cebuanos DID NOT CHEAT FPJ. He lost terribly in Cebu for the simple reason that FPJ did not even have local candidates for governor or mayor, board members or councilors anywhere in Cebu except in Danao City where my friend Arnold Tuadles ran for governor, but he was more of a nuisance candidate and posed no serious threat to anyone. So if the administration and opposition parties were campaigning for and against PGMA respectively, she was expected to win a landslide victory and that’s exactly what happened in Cebu.

But the die has been cast, unless the LPs push hard for their Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines to alter the votes in their favor, Grace Llamanzares won’t be getting any Cebuano votes. There’s a lesson for would-be politicians to learn from Cebuanos — never and I mean never — accuse us of cheating in the polls. Even worse for Grace Llamanzares is the Facebook photo that was passed on to me, that while she was having her tearful moment speech on stage, President Aquino and the LP gubernatorial candidate can be seen laughing at her back. Wow! That photo reveals a lot about the lack of manners of the LP leadership!

There’s another issue that is hounding the LPs. As we pointed out, the LP rally was rained out because of Typhoon “Crising” so the venue was moved to the Tabunok Sports Complex. As the LP candidates were arriving to the rally site, barong uniformed members of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Regional Safety Battalion were used by the LPs as “Payong Boys” holding yellow umbrellas with Casino Filipino markings so that the candidates and their guests won’t get wet in the rain.

The Cebu media immediately demanded to know, “Is this how the LPs treat our policemen” as “payong boys?” It reminded me of how Imeldific Marcos made a “payong boy” of then Chief Justice Enrique Fernando. In my book, a police officer should be treated with dignity and respect and not turned into someone’s “bata-bata.” So what does the Police Academy have to say when a political party uses or should I say “misuse” their police officers?

That’s not all. During the campaign sorties of the LP, like the one in Liloan, the LP supporters were seen distributing food to those in the rally site. This was admitted by the Barangay Captain supporter of the LP. Reporters quickly called upon Comelec Election Officer Jezrel Amoquis to tell him this story and the latter admitted that the LP violated election rules. So, then what? Will the Comelec make an issue about this LP violation?

Finally, the latest word from UNA is that their three guest candidates, Sen. Francis Escudero, Sen. Loren Legarda and Grace Llamanzares have finally been removed from their senatorial list. It just makes me wonder; when election nears, there will be a lot of junking within their political parties, which makes it more fun in the Philippines.

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