MANILA, Philippines – Nanawagan si Senador Risa Hontiveros sa Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Automated Election System na iimbestigahan ang julat na hindi nakakakuha ang Commission on Elections (Comelec) legally-mandated certification sa security at accuracy ng automated election system (AES) para sa May 12 elections.
“Halos 70 araw na lang bago ang election day, kaya dapat agarang kumilos ang Senado at House of Representatives at siguraduhin na nasusunod ang lahat ng mekanismo sa batas para sa malinis at maayos na automated elections. Itong mga napapabalitang isyu ay dapat malinaw na, para walang pangamba o duda ang taumbayan pagdating ng Mayo 12,” ayon kay Hontiveros.
Iginiit ni Hontiveros ang ulat na nagsasabing: “Comelec has yet to comply with Sec. 11 of RA 8436 as amended by RA 9369 or the Election Automation Law, which requires it to obtain a certification from an established international certification entity stating that the country’s AES, including its hardware and software components, “is operating properly, securely and accurately.”
“Under the law, the certification should have been issued ‘not later than three months before the date of the electoral exercises.’ This means that Pro V & V Inc., the international certification entity contracted by Comelec, should have already issued a certification on or before February 12, 2025,” paliwanag ni Hontiveros.
“Dapat matanong natin ang Comelec, sa pamamagitan ng joint congressional oversight committee, kung nasaan na ang certification na iyan na nagpapatunay na maayos ang ating automated election system. At kung wala pa ang certification, dapat maipaliwanag nila sa taumbayan kung bakit hindi pa ito nailalabas, sa kabila ng malinaw na deadline sa ilalim ng batas,” paliwanag pa niya.
Sinabi ni Hontiveros na dapat itigil ng Comelec ang paggamit ng AES nang walang certification, kaya dapat silang magsumite ng written explanateion sa oversight committee alinsunod sa itinakda ng batas.
Pero, nagbabala ang senador na kapag walang certification, “would severely affect public confidence in the May 12 elections.”
Kasabay ng AES Certification, gustong paimbestigahan din sa oversight committee ang ibinulgar ni Isabela vice-mayoral candidate Jeryll Respicio hinggil sa vulnerability ng dayaan sa automated counting machines.
Naghain ng kasong criminal ang Comelec laban kay Respicio hinggil sa kanyang pananaw.’
“The oversight committee can also shed light on alleged vulnerabilities in our AES – especially in procedures related to the counting and transmission of election results. Sana linawin ng Comelec kung dapat nga bang kinakabit lang ang modem sa automated counting machines kung magta-transmit na ito ng election results. Sa unang bersiyon kasi ng Comelec instructions, parang sa testing process pa lang ay ikakabit na ang modem sa automated counting machines at hindi na ito tatanggalin,” ayon kay Hontiveros.
“While Comelec’s campaign against election-related misinformation is a good thing, the commission should not be dismissive of nor hostile to citizens, who in good faith, call out potential means for interference in the country’s automated elections,” giit ng senador.
“When it comes to automated elections, there is no such thing as security through obscurity. We should listen to all stakeholders on how we can improve the security of our votes, even when it takes the form of criticism. Ang pagpuna sa pamahalaan ay obligasyon ng bawat mamamayan, lalo na kung ito ay makakatulong sa malinis na halalan,” paliwanag pa ni Hontiveros. Ernie Reyes
