Comelec vows to guard vs cheating in 2016 polls

MANILA, Philippines - Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. assured yesterday Vice President Jejomar Binay that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will guard the 2016 poll against high-tech cheating.       

Binay warned yesterday of massive cheating in the 2016 elections if the precinct counting optical scan (PCOS) machines are used.            

“This is basically widespread,” he said. “The automated equipment will be one source of cheating. The problem now is that no one knows what are the contents of the PCOS machines.”  Brillantes said Binay has nothing to worry in 2016 as no electronic fraud happened in the 2010 and 2013 elections.             

“For two elections, no electronic cheating happened,” he said. “The election was clean, except for some noisy detractors, and we can expect that to be the same in 2016.”  

Brillantes said Binay and his daughter Nancy won in the 2010 and 2013 elections when the PCOS machines were used. It has not even been determined if the Comelec would use the PCOS machines again in 2016 or acquire a new voting system, he added.

Brillantes said they are still awaiting the Comelec Advisory Council (CAC) to make a recommendation on which technology should be used in the elections.

If given the budget, the Comelec prefers to acquire new machines, he added. 

Binay said he has received reports that some of the PCOS machines are already too old and no longer functioning.            

“We must start putting budget for that to prevent us from using the old and malfunctioning PCOS machines,” he said. “I would also suggest to look for new equipment that are proven to be effective and are not prone to cheating in elections in other countries.” 

Binay wants the people to be aware and vigilant to enable the country to have credible and honest elections in 2016, he added.            

Binay said he is not saying that the cheating will come from Malacañang.

“What I am saying is that we received a very reliable information that there will be massive cheating in the 2016 elections,” he said. “There are some groups who have prepared for that.”  – Sheila Crisostomo, Jose Rodel Clapano