Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 24) — While it reiterated it has not encountered any data breaches, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has ordered a review of its contract with Smartmatic.
During a virtual briefing, Commissioner George Garcia bared several measures ordered by Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan in connection with the allegation of Senator Imee Marcos that there is the possibility of a security breach in the poll system.
READ: Comelec, Smartmatic deny security breach claim by Imee Marcos
Garcia said Pangarungan mandated the Comelec’s Law Department to “conduct a review of the contract with Smartmatic and to advise the courses of action to be taken by the Commission as may be provided by law and jurisprudence.”
Smartmatic is the provider of automated elections system (AES) and vote-counting machines (VCMs).
“Although we maintain that the Comelec has not fallen victim to any attacks that will amount to a security breach, we will not take these allegations sitting down,” Pangarungan said in his statement.
The poll body directed its Executive Director to immediately coordinate with the National Bureau of Investigation, secure a copy of the report from the agency, as well as require Smartmatic to submit its internal investigation report. It also ordered the Deputy Executive Director for Operations and the Information Technology Department to craft “a detailed plan to prevent the occurrence of the similar or related issue.”
“We will ensure full transparency. We want an orderly, peaceful and honest elections,” Garcia said.
Earlier this year, the Comelec faced another hacking claim made by Manila Bulletin that an unidentified group of hackers was “able to breach the servers of the Comelec, downloading more than 60 gigabytes of data that could possibly affect the elections.”
