Debunking the infallibility of PCOS machines (Second of 2 parts)

In Precinct 1, Quino’s votes based on the PCOS machine were 468. But the RTC manual count yielded only 214 votes.  In Precinct 2, Quino’s PCOS votes were 448, manual count only at 191. In Precinct 4, PCOS votes were 471 while the manual count numbered only 98.  

In more than half of the 34 precincts that were manually counted, Wagas garnered 9,725 voted while Quino only got 5,432! For all the votes for Wagas, there was no discrepancy between the PCOS and manual count. Obviously, Wagas was targeted to lose and Quino to win against all odds.  

According to Richie Wagas, several irregularities also surfaced. Every PCOS machine has a distinct ID number. This number should correspond to the number indicated on the election return form. Of the 34 precincts, ONLY ONE election form matched the PCOS machine where it was inserted. Wagas says this can only mean the other 33 forms were fed into a different machine, probably even before the actual elections.  SMARTMATIC is designated to make sure of the compatibility of the forms with the machines.  They are supposed to make sure of the authenticity of the flash cards.  Why such glaring discrepancies?  

PCOS machines transmit results via an electronic signal. On the day of the elections, it was revealed that 32 of the 34 PCOS machines could not transmit their results. Because of this, the results of the 32 precincts were submitted by a person. It does defeat the whole purpose of the computerization, doesn’t it?  Every transmission requires that totals be logged in a book located inside the canvassing machine. But upon opening the machines, only 20 of the precincts were logged in. What happened to the other 14?

These are the questions that have to be answered by the COMELEC.  In 2010, the COMELEC was headed by an obvious supporter of the past administration. Still, the COMELEC has to explain the irregularities from 2010 and assure the public these will not again happen in May. It is worrisome and troublesome and counter-productive and smacks of betrayal that Chairman Brillantes himself would say, “Huwag na kasi natin balikan ang 2010 elections kasi nakaupo na ang mga nanalo diyan (Let’s not bother with whatever happened in the 2010 elections as everyone proclaimed is already seated in position)!”  It requires no explanation why such a remark is both wrong and uncalled for on every front.  COMELEC spokesman Dir. James Jimenez graciously explained to us that there have been instances of manual recounts that were erroneous and not in accordance with COMELEC stipulations.  

They have yet to study the RTC manual recount, he says. Yet, Chairman Brillantes, in quotes regarding the Compostela recount, dismisses the findings as, certainly, human error and “not the fault of the machine.”  Brillantes keeps missing the point.  Of course, it isn’t the machine that we distrust, but the men who programmed it and operate it and manipulate it because of the fallibility of the system.

Other “analysts” say the Compostela figures must have been manipulated post-machine voting.  

It is easy to “remove” ballot sheets or add ballot sheets after the doors close on voting day. But this is exactly what the watchdogs are demanding for:  more security measures to ensure the accuracy and incorruptibility of the whole voting and counting process. Instead of the machine saying “Congratulations,” shouldn’t it be projecting on-screen the votes of the voter to validate/confirm who the voter voted for?

There is no more time to scrutinize the source code, much less even gloss over the system provisions.  The COMELEC is trying its darnest convincing Dominion to allow the Philippine government to make public the contents for the sake of transparency.  Looks like that’s not happening.  Meantime, Richie Wagas isn’t interested in officially reclaiming his position as the “real winner” of Compostela, before the COMELEC can declare the RTC manual count as valid. He is running again in May and only hopes to have learned ways to nip the cheating in the proverbial bud. Little does Wagas know about several other ways by which votes are manipulated — from other stories dead men have told.  For some, indeed, hope is eternal.