PCOS machines delivery: Comelec wonders why 20 arrived w/o notice

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — A total of 266 precinct optical count scanner (PCOS) machines intended for Negros Oriental and Siquijor provinces were not included in the delivery that arrived in this city last Tuesday (April 23) as expected.

An actual inventory, done at the holding area, showed only 952 machines were carried by the three 12-foot container vans that reached this city from Bacolod City in Negros Occidental.

What surprised more the authorities here was that 20 of the inventoried machines, intended for Basay town in Negros Oriental, arrived earlier without the knowledge of Comelec officials in Dumaguete.

There are a total of 1,076 polling precincts in Negros Oriental and 142 in Siquijor province, and the Comelec here expected to receive 1,218 PCOS machines with more extra units for contingency.

Records of 2GO cargo forwarder showed only 932 PCOS were placed in the container vans and 20 others arrived earlier unnoticed.

Inventory of the PCOS machines was conducted yesterday and witnessed by the Diocesan Electoral Board headed by Msgr Julius Heruela of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, city election officer Jerome Brillantes and the media. No one from the political parties was present.

Still lacking are 92 PCOS machines for Dumaguete City, 74 for Bais City, 29 for Jimalalud town, 57 for Siaton—all in Negros Oriental, and 14 for Enrique Villanueva town in Siquijor province.

Brillantes said the cargo forwarder owed the Comelec an explanation on why only 932 were delivered last April 23. He was also surprised that they were not informed about the arrival of the first batch of 20 PCOS machines, along with the back-up batteries, for Basay town.

According to 2GO officials, the 20 PCOS machines for Basay were declared as “loose cargo.” Dumaguete’s 2GO operations supervisor Macophil Curativo said that, as a receiving end, they have no control as to what will be delivered.

Curativo said 2GO understands the sensitivity of the shipment that is why it was escorted by the police while being transported by land from Bacolod.

Brillantes later said they are expecting another shipment of the remaining 266 PCOS machines including the contingency units in the next few days.

Heruela, for his part, was confident the complete number of PCOS machines will arrive in due time, and will be monitored through a tracking system called Accountable Material Verifiable Audit Trail (AMVAT) until it reaches the precinct level with poll watchers and volunteers watching these together with the police. (FREEMAN)