Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Poll watchdogs and former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Gus Lagman reiterated on Monday (January 4) their call to the poll body to ensure the security of votes in the upcoming polls.
Lagman, the Legal Network for Truthful Elections, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, and the National People’s Movement for Free Elections asked the Comelec to reinstate security features in vote-counting machines for the elections in May 2016.
These features include a voter-verifiable paper audit trail that will basically act as a receipt of votes, a source code review, an ultraviolet scanner, and digital signatures of the board of election inspectors.
The poll watchdogs said all measures should be taken to ensure credible elections.
Comelec disabled these features because it said the feature of giving out receipts of votes will encourage vote buying and selling and the other features may prolong the process of voting in precincts.
But Comelec said that it will look into the possibility of restoring these features.
Ex-commissioner slams Comelec’s efforts
Comelec is holding a source code review, which began in October. But Lagman said the source code should be tested on actual machines — something the Comelec wouldn’t allow.
Lagman criticized Comelec’s approach to managing the polls. He said that it was a poor choice to build the entire system around vote-counting machines.
Lagman added the Comelec may be prone to influence from political parties.
The election period begins on Sunday (January 10).
