Comelec’s K.K.K. battlecry

Since the 1987 Constitution got ratified, we hold elections in the Philippines every three years. With the term limits set forth by our new Constitution, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) organized the first midterm elections in May 1989. From then on the Comelec laboriously conducted the manual voting, counting, and canvassing of elections all the way to the next presidential elections taking place every six year.

Filipino voters got used to wait several weeks to learn who won in the elections. The prolonged periods of uncertainty had fueled unrest and accusations of fraud and violence. But everything changed when we had our maiden automated presidential elections in May 2010.

It was our first time foray on automated election system (AES). The last presidential elections done manually were held in May 2004 when then ex-president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo figured in the infamous “Hello, Garci” scandal. It was audio recordings of the supposed phone call conversation between ex-president Arroyo and the late Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano allegedly talking about the rigging of the 2004 national election results that were “leaked” to the public a year later.

With that dark past of our manual elections, it became the best-selling point of the Comelec for our country to embrace technology. Through public bidding, Comelec got for us the technology provider Smartmatic in our maiden venture to modern election methods.

Through Smartmatic, our voters were introduced in the AES using their company’s precinct counting optical scanning (PCOS) machines. Thus, the late president Benigno Simeon “PNoy” Aquino III became the first PCOS-elected president.

The PCOS machines enabled Filipino electorates to vote by shading the names on the circle before the names of candidates they choose in the specially designed machine-readable ballots. All the ballots cast per precinct go through the PCOS machines that count the votes and tele-transmit them in real time all the way to the Comelec national canvassing.

Much of the human intervention in the counting and canvassing of votes done manually in the past have been cut to barest minimum. The PCOS could thus qualify as the first generation of artificial intelligence in the election machines. But through the years, the PCOS got demonized so much so the Comelec and the Smartmatic recalibrated the PCOS and renamed them as vote counting machines (VCMs) in subsequent polls. Until finally, they were simply called automated counting machines (ACMs).

Now called as Smartmatic Philippines Inc., it has worked five elections we had in our country starting from that time we had the 2010 presidential elections; then to the midterm elections in 2013; then the 2016 presidential elections; again on 2019 midterm elections. And in the 2022 presidential elections won by now administration in power, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM).

The introduction of new innovation ushered in by these election machines caused a huge change in the political landscape in the Philippines. Many of the powerful warlords lost despite their guns, goons and gold. Neutralized by these election machines, they could no longer manipulate results of voting and frustrate the true will of the electorates.

Within a few hours after the polling precincts closed, we already know who the biggest winners are from national to local polls from various parts of the country.

However, a damning trail of evidence of corruption later unraveled in public. Secret bank accounts connected illegal transactions between then Comelec chairman Andres Bautista and two top executives of Smartmatic. It sealed the fate of Smartmatic being outed from the Comelec election technology service providers.

Then freshly minted Comelec chairman veteran election lawyer George Erwin Garcia ended the poll body’s contract with Smartmatic. Through international bidding, Miru Systems of South Korea won the contract. Smartmatic went all the way to the Supreme Court but got their petition dismissed. But it was not without do-or-die bid of Smartmatic to save and keep alive their contract with the Comelec.

Suspiciously though, we still see and hear renewed calls from certain quarters demanding the return to manual elections.

What give? Do they want us to go back to those days of nefarious tricks of traditional politicians and warlords to “dagdag-bawas” schemes?

With warts and all, the just concluded midterm elections proved right the seven-man Comelec in their decision to test-run Miru as their new election technology provider. It generally passed the acid test. But a lot of observed imperfections must be addressed here and now before the next presidential elections in May 2028.

Congratulations are in order for our Garcia-led Comelec and the rest of the poll body. Special kudos go to Comelec Commissioner Ernest Maceda who boldly carried out the campaign against vote-buying, without fear or favor.

More congratulations also go to the winners of one of the most peaceful elections held in our country.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte made history in the just concluded midterm elections. With her unprecedented 1,030,730 votes, Mayor Joy secured a third term in office in Quezon City Hall. With over 1.45 million registered voters, Mayor Joy got 95.56 percent of the total votes cast citywide. Known as the most vote-rich city in the country, voters’ turnout recorded 79.11 percent of the total registered voters.

Mayor Joy carried in her victory the banner of Serbisyo sa Bayan (SB) party founded by her father, former Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. Mayor Joy was officially proclaimed yesterday along with the rest of winning SB candidates in Quezon City who included QC Councilors Mikey Belmonte (District 2) and Vincent Belmonte (District 4). The 55-year-old QC Mayor is the sister of our boss at The STAR Miguel Belmonte who is more proud to see his 34-year-old son Mikey winning a second term.

We ought to give credits to ex-speaker Belmonte who was among the co-authors of the twin laws Republic Acts 9369 and 8436 that paved the way for the Comelec to conduct our modern election system.

With its battle cry inspired by historical roots K.K.K., the Comelec tried its best to ensure Katarungan, Katapatan, Katotohanan. We all deserve to pat each other’s back for a job well done.