Category: news
News: Comelec rules out parallel manual count
abs-cbnNEWS.com: MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections on Wednesday ruled out a parallel manual count for national positions amid concerns by a group of IT experts that poll results could be rigged.
Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said a random manual audit will be made after a proclamation is made to check if the figures match. Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal, for his part, said the poll body is ready to sit down with IT experts who have concerns about the automated polls.
Jimenez also appealed to critics to stop scaring the public with failure of election scenarios. He warned those undermining the credibility of the elections could face an election offense.
The president of the Philippine Software Industry Association on Wednesday urged Comelec to implement a select parallel manual count of the May 10 elections to ensure the credibility of the country’s first nationwide automated polls.
In an interview on radio dzMM, PSIA president Maria Cristina Coronel said various IT groups are calling for a simplified parallel count that would only involve counting the votes for the president, vice president and mayor.
Under the proposal, members of the boards of election inspectors (BEIs) would do a manual count of the votes for the three positions and compare it with the results of the counting of the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines.
Coronel said BEIs could do the manual count for about 3 hours after polling booths close on election day. “If they do not match, the proposal is to count all the votes in the entire precinct,” she said.
Coronel said IT professionals have various concerns about the credibility of the country’s first ever nationwide automated election. These include the Commission on Elections’ failure to conduct an end-to-end simulation and full test of the automated election system.
“Typically, when we implement a system, we normally do a pilot run and a parallel run just to make sure that the system is working well and the results are credible,” she said.
She added: “Nababagabag o nababahala is the right term because we know that Comelec is not yet ready based on the things that we are seeing right now. So we cannot just sit down and wait. You are like a doctor that sees a disease but you are not doing anything to bring a cure. I guess that’s a sin of omission on our end. At this point, I think we need to act.”
Last Sunday, at least two of 20 PCOS machines at voting precincts in Hong Kong stalled and did not accept filled-up ballots that were being inserted by overseas Filipino voters. Officials of Comelec and poll machine supplier Smartmatic-TIM said the machines stalled temporarily due to condensation. They said the machines worked perfectly after an hour.
Smartmatic Asia-Pacific president Cesar Flores earlier said the failure of a few machines on the May 10 elections is expected and should not be taken to mean a failure of the automation process. He said the boards of election inspectors could use the backup machines or even allow the voters to vote manually and then count the ballots at the nearest precinct.
Makati Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr., co-chair of the joint congressional committee on the automated elections, said the absentee voting process in Hong Kong proceeded as planned despite the temporary glitches.
“[The machines] didn’t malfunction, it just needed to dry out. The weather was nice, the temperature was muggy and wet but cool. [That problem] will be absent here in the Philippines because it is too dry,” he said.
He said two absentee voters actually spoiled their ballots during the voting. He said one voter deliberately crumpled the ballot to see if the machine would reject it while the other accidentally smudged her ballot due to pen stains.
News: Garci’s ghost haunts techies
Philippine Daily Inquirer: MANILA, Philippines—The specters of “Garci” and glitches are fueling urgent calls for hybrid elections.
Information technology professionals fearing hiccups in the automated election system (AES) on May 10 have pressed demands for a parallel manual count.
They said that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) should consider a manual count after the electronic transmission of results to various canvassing centers and before the proclamation of any candidate.
Maria Cristina Coronel, president of the Philippine Software Industry Association, said that the partial manual count for the presidential, vice presidential and the mayoral races could be done by the board of election inspectors (BEI).
“Unless we do a full count at all precincts, of at least the top two positions, we cannot say with confidence that the coming elections in May will be free of any form of cheating,” Coronel said in a press briefing sponsored by the Movement for Good Governance.
Ex-President Joseph Estrada’s Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) also has asked the Comelec to conduct a parallel manual count after two out of 20 counting machines in absentee voting in Hong Kong failed over the weekend.
“That’s a 10-percent failure rate, which is definitely not acceptable,” said PMP senatorial candidate Jose de Venecia III, an information technology businessman and the PMP’s spokesperson on automated election concerns.
“The Comelec has no choice but to conduct a parallel manual count on all precincts nationwide,” he said.
De Venecia said that with the expected failure of at least 10 percent of the more than 70,000 counting machines on May 10, “the results of the elections at the national level will all be contestable.”
Coronel said the manual count would not pose a heavy financial burden. It would not also delay the announcement of results and would discourage losing politicians from thinking that the machines were rigged.
Time, motion study
She noted that a time and motion study had revealed that it would only take three hours for a precinct with 500 voters and five hours for a precinct with 1,000 voters to do the manual tally.
About 50 million Filipinos have registered to vote in the 76,000 precincts using counting machines that would tabulate and transmit results electronically.
Ma. Corazon Akol, president of the Philippine National IT Standards Foundation, said the use of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines did not guarantee that the elections would be free of fraud.
Akol said the compact flash cards could contain commands that could manipulate the results.
Gus Lagman, convenor of the transparentelections.org, also warned against high-tech cheating. He said that lack of system transparency could allow a government insider to rig the election. He added that the automated system was not fail-safe.
The specter of an electronic “Garci” is real under the electronic balloting system using state-of-the-art programs, Lagman said, referring to former Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.
Garcillano allegedly manipulated results in the 2004 election to favor President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo with the help of military generals in Maguindanao province. She has denied the charge.
Selected massive cheating
“Our concern today is more focused on the high probability of massive cheating in selected areas involving national, local and even party-list elections,” Lagman said.
AES Watch, a consortium of poll watchdog groups from the church and the civil society, urged the Comelec to hold another mock elections and install large video projectors that will show real-time tallies.
The group also supported calls pushing the Comelec to allow independent third-parties to conduct a random manual audit of ballots from at least 1,500 ballots before the announcement of winners.
AES Watch said in a letter to Comelec Chair Jose Melo that these measures could be costly but that it was a small price to pay to ensure “trouble-free and credible elections.”
The group noted that the projectors, the manual audit, and the mock elections a day before the actual polls would make the detection of the printed and the transmitted election results easier.
The Comelec has yet to decide on whether to hold the random manual audit of votes, which is mandated by law, before or after the proclamation of the candidates.
Melo has said he favors the post-proclamation audit so as not to delay the results and defeat the purpose of computerized balloting.
The Comelec says that in the automated balloting, results for the local races will be known in 12 hours after the voting, while national contest winners can be proclaimed within two to three days.
PMP vice presidential candidate and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay also urged the Comelec to take note of the delays caused by faulty PCOS machines in Hong Kong and prepare contingency measures.
“The weather conditions in Hong Kong and the Philippines are different. But so is the situation for voting. Such delays can be accommodated during absentee voting, but we do not have such luxury on May 10. They are given several days to cast their ballots so should they fail, they can try again. Here, we only have one day,” Binay said.
Press Release: IT experts fear “automated Garci,” call for parallel count in May 10 polls
From left to right: Melvin Matulac (not in photo), Lito Averia, Bill Luz, Gus Lagman, Maricor Akol, Beng Coronel and Ben Garcia
A group of information technology (IT) professionals yesterday expressed fears of an “automated Garci” or high-tech cheating in the May 10 elections and called on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to consider their proposal for a simplified parallel count in order to ensure the polls’ credibility
The IT experts, who spoke to media in a press conference initiated by the Movement for Good Governance (MGG), said recent developments have made many people wary and fearful of the possibility of a partial or even a total system failure, noting that the systems and processes that are in place are not fail-safe.
“While we agree with this observation, our concern today is more focused on the high probability of massive cheating in selected areas involving national, local and even party list positions,” said Augusto “Gus” Lagman, lead convenor of TransparentElections.Org.
Despite their apprehensions, he and other concerned IT professionals have chosen to cooperate with the Comelec “to give the Automated Election System (AES) a chance to succeed.” Some members of the group have been involved in the crafting of the Automated Election Law.
Ma. Corazon Akol, president of the Philippine National IT Standards Foundation (PhilNITS) and former president of the Philippine Electronics and Telecoms Foundation (PETEF), said Filipinos may be lulled into thinking that the May 10 elections would be free from cheating because it will be using “high tech” machines and computerized systems.
“The truth is that the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines, the operating and transmission programs and the whole system itself can be rigged, without our even knowing how or where the new and sophisticated “dagdag-bawas” scheme might be perpetrated,” she stressed.
The group presented several reasons for saying there is “grave and present danger” in the exercise of the Filipinos’ right of suffrage in the coming May 10 automated elections.
They cited a high probability that, a system “fully administered and constrolled by government insiders and their vendors” (quoting an election watchdog in the ISA), without adequate safeguards and full transparency, can contain hidden commands for the software and/or computer to execute.
They said these commands can be inserted in any of the computer programs contained in any of the PCOS machines or the computers that will be used to transmit the election results from the municipality and provincial sites. Pre-set results stored in the Compact Flash (CF) cards, tampering of digital results during transmission and results manipulation through canvassing programs are “not only feasible but also highly probable,” they added.
For expediency’s sake, they said, many safeguards set in place by law, as defined by “our colleagues in the IT industry,” were disregarded, removed or replaced with vulnerable alternatives. They noted that the pilot testing of the system was not done; the source code review, as strictly defined by law, was not granted; on-the-spot verification by the voter and the UV detector were disabled; and, controlled access features were disregarded.
Ma. Cristina Coronel, president of the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA), explained that their proposal for a simplified parallel count would only involve counting the votes for the president, the vice president and mayor.
She said the group’s time and motion studies indicated that it would only take about three hours for a precinct with 500 voters and five hours for a precinct with 1,000 voters to do the parallel count. She also gave assurance that it would not constitute a drain on government resources.
“Unless we do a full count at all precincts, of at least the top two positions, we cannot say with confidence that the coming elections in May is free fro any form of cheating,” she added.
The group appealed to Comelec chairman Jose Melo and the rest of the commission to sit down with them for a dialogue soon, as “time is running out,” so that together they can implement the recommendation and agree on solutions to both legal and logistics concerns.
News: Puno launches Moral Force Movement
abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak: Early last year, Chief Justice Reynato Puno was chosen as chairman of the Council for Moral Revolution, a brainchild of former Arroyo ally Jose de Venecia Jr.. Puno eschewed De Venecia’s proposition as he did not want the independence of his office compromised.
“I wish to thank you and the others for electing me in absentia as Chairman of the Council for Moral Revolution…While I agree with the need for moral transformation of all of us, I regret to decline the position in view of the inhibitions of my office as Chief Justice,” Puno wrote the former speaker of the House of Representatives.
However, on Monday, Puno launched the “Moral Force Movement” (MFM) to a cheering crowd of students, religious organizations, and members of the judiciary.
One reason for his sudden turnabout is the fact that the MFM has no politician in the group. Puno tapped civic and religious leaders instead to be the convenors of the movement.
The MFM core group is composed of the following personalities:
- Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) chair Henrietta de Villa;
- Far Eastern University (FEU) Law school Dean Andres Bautista;
- retired Brigadier General Jaime Echeverria, president and chair of the Association of Generals and Flag Officers (AGFO);
- Dr. Milwida Guevara, one of the leaders of the Movement for Good Governance (MGG);
- Emerito Nacpil, retired bishop of the United Methodist Church of the Philippines from 1980-2000;
- Marixi Prieto, chair of the Philippine Daily Inquirer;
- Noorain Sabdula, one of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines in 2008;
- Monsignor Gerardo Santos, president of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) and executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.
Puno for president?
But with only three months left before the deadline for the filing of the certificate of candidacy for the 2010 elections, speculations will inevitably crop up that Puno’s moral force is actually a vehicle for his impending presidential campaign.
De Villa, however, belied the MFM would support eventually support Puno for president. “It’s (MFM) not pushing for Chief Justice Puno. We’re pushing for moral values,” she told abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak in an earlier phone interview.
De Villa added that the MFM, while open to support from other groups, is cautious in engaging other organizations openly endorsing candidates in next year’s elections.
FEU’s Bautista said that if Puno decides to throw his hat into the political ring, he will have to disengage from the MFM.
Puno has sought to convince the public that he has no political ambition. He said in his speech on Monday that a “social movement, not a political movement” is the panacea to the country’s problems.
MFM not apolitical
The MFM describes itself as “neither pro- nor anti- administration, but it is not apolitical and neutral since it will stand up for political righteousness.”
Its objective is to see “transformational leadership” in 2010 through a voter’s education program. MGG’s Guevara said that their main benchmark for the credibility of candidates is their track record – how many promises they kept, how many they broke.
The focus will not be on specific issues, such as the debate on the reproductive health (RH) bill, for instance, or charter change. The MFM core group and its members have their own views about these.
Santos, in particular, led the CEAP in an interfaith rally against charter change in 2008. He also signed an ad on CEAP’s objection to the RH bill.
With limited funds, the MFM will bank on the strength of volunteerism to achieve its goals and implement its programs.
PDI’s Prieto said that in case they have to seek help from other organizations, it will not be in exchange for anything since they do not want to be “indebted” to anybody.
The MFM has started to gather possible volunteers. On Monday, it made the attendees during the launch sign a “commitment slip” to MFM.
They were asked what help they could offer, from something as specific as becoming a PPCRV, MGG, or NAMFREL (National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections) volunteer to something as general as not electing anyone “who bribes, cheats, lies, nor tolerate anyone who does.”
Impropriety
An incumbent chief justice’s involvement with a movement is not without potential controversy since it could raise questions of impropriety.
However, Atty. Marlon Manuel, coordinator of the Alternative Law Group, believes there is nothing wrong with having a chief justice mobilize people to push for better governance.
“He also heads a branch of the government,” Manuel said, which means it’s also his duty to push for reforms.
A Court of Appeals (CA) justice, who asked not to be named, said that it is unlikely that judges will see something wrong with the chief justice’s work with the MFM, including the involvement of religious organizations in the movement.
He said there is nothing wrong if Puno cites the need for a moral force. Religious organizations are also free to back him up.
FEU’s Bautista said Puno is merely exercising his duties as a citizen.
“First, you have to look at Chief Justice Reynato Puno…He is also a citizen like you and me,” he said.
The MFM has emphasized that “Chief Justice Reynato Puno convened the Moral Force Movement as a private citizen concerned about the deterioration of Philippine society.”
Puno should inhibit?
If the leaders and members of the MFM are involved in cases that are before or are brought to the SC, one query that could come is: should Puno inhibit himself?
This issue could come up in the case of PDI’s Prieto. Her family’s company, the Sunvar Realty Development Corp., was recently sued by the Office of the Solicitor General for allegedly using the land formerly owned by the National Power Corp. (NPC) in Makati City.
The case is pending at the Makati Regional Trial Court. In case it reaches the SC, Prieto believes that it would not raise questions of impropriety on Puno.
“The MFM is a movement, it’s not about personalities,” she told abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak
Dean Antonio La Viña, head of the MFM secretariat, told abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak that everything has to be done by the rules. He said there is really no clear cut rule on inhibition. He said “the strategy is to stay away from issues that could come to the court or to stay above the fray.”
Bautista believes Puno will do the right thing if and when these issues come up before the Supreme Court. “If and when such an occasion arises, he will know what to do,” he said.
But Vincent Lazatin, convenor of the Supreme Court Appointments Watch, took a different viewpoint.
“It is wise for the chief justice to inhibit,” he said, as his “special relationship” with the group amounts to identifiable ties.
News: Talakayan 2010 to tackle economic issues
PhilSTAR.com: Talakayan 20.10, an issues-based forum that pushes national leaders to share their vision and position on issues of national importance, continues its leadership forum series at 3 p.m. tomorrow (Aug. 27) at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) in Makati City.
The focus of the discussion will be economic issues.
“This is a great opportunity for the voting public to listen to the candidates running in 2010, how they plan to address the issues on the economy,” said Bill Luz, chairman of the Movement for Good Governance (MGG).
Guests who will cover the event live on their blogs and social networking sites will be given free entrance passes and free Internet access, while students will be given 50 percent discount from the P200 registration fee.
Meanwhile, Filipinos in San Francisco, New York, London, Rome, Riyadh, Tokyo, Sydney and other parts of the globe can catch the live Web streaming of Talakayan 20.10 on http://www.philstar.com. The forum will be aired on GMA7 and Radio Veritas.
“We at philstar.com, want to allow our kababayans both here and abroad to participate in these forums without actually being there. We feel it is our duty and responsibility,” said Katrina Sandejas-Mañosa, general manager of philstar.com, the online portal of the STAR Group of Publications for the Filipino global community.
In partnership with the Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines, YouVote Philippines and Rotary International District 3830, philstar.com, GMA7 and Radio Veritas, Talakayan 20.10 will be held at the SGV Hall of Asian Institute of Management in Benavidez St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.
Viewers outside the Philippines can catch the live broadcast at the following times: San Francisco (12 a.m.), New York (3 a.m.), London (8 a.m.) Rome (7 a.m.), Riyadh (10 a.m.), Tokyo (4 p.m.), Sydney (5 p.m.).
The Movement for Good Governance 