‘Lack of biometric device may cause voter disenfranchisement’

MABALACAT, Pampanga, Philippines  – The lack of biometric devices at the precincts could be used to disenfranchise voters and affect the outcome of the 2016 elections, according to an election lawyer.

“It’s not too late to purchase and install biometric devices at the precincts. The initial P700 million for that was used instead for leasing PCOS (precinct count optical scan) machines,” Romulo Macalintal told journalists during a senior citizens’ gathering here over the weekend.

Macalintal said a partisan board of election inspectors could simply tell voters they do not have biometric registration and prevent them from voting.

He also urged the Commission on Elections to extend by five days the biometric registration of voters after it was suspended for five days to pave the way to the filing of certificates of candidacy.

“It is not the fault of voters they were not able to register within those five days… the Oct. 31 deadline for registration should be extended,” Macalintal said.

Macalintal expressed confidence in the reliability of PCOS machines, saying only losers claim cheating. “I have been challenging so-called IT (information technology) experts to show me even one evidence that a PCOS machine had falsely counted a vote in favor of another candidate, and no one could produce such evidence,” he said.

Syndicates

He warned the public against syndicates claiming to have the technology to change the results of the elections through the PCOS machines.

“They approach a candidate and offer their services for millions of pesos, with the condition that much more would be given to them after their victory,” he said.

Macalintal said these syndicates also approach the candidate’s political opponents with the same offer.

“If their candidate loses, they return the money but with the syndicate’s alleged expenses already deducted,“ he said. – With Jose Rodel Clapano