Comelec urged to consider hybrid system to ensure integrity of 2025 midterm elections

September 30, 2024 , 07:44 PM

By Rodolfo Dacleson II

(September 30, 2024) – An election watchdog on Monday renewed its call to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to consider a hybrid system to ensure the integrity of next year’s midterm elections.

Kontra Daya convenor Danilo Arao admitted that while it would cause delays in the entire electoral process, it would provide better transparency, instead of solely relying on the automated machines.

Hybrid elections involve manual vote counting and electronic transmission.

“Ang problema sa makina, kahit source code hindi mo alam kung tumutugma talaga sa tamang pagbilang kasi hindi naman talaga naging transparent ang source code review,” said Arao.

Last July, Kontra Daya and progressive group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan called for a hybrid system to address the familiar concerns about transparency and cheating in the country’s electoral process.

The Comelec, however, ignored the proposal since it would violate Republic Act No. 9369 or the Poll Automation Law, which mandates “pure automation.”

The poll body awarded the automated election contract worth P18 billion to South Korean company Miru Systems last February.

ALSO READ: Government urged to cut ties with Smarmatic to ensure fair elections

Kontra Daya earlier noted that Miru Systems’ automated machines are “not a substantial improvement” from Smartmatic’s, the country’s previous election service provider, since the actual vote counting is still not transparent.

“Accrediting only selected IT (information technology) professionals for the source code review due to security concerns is unwarranted as it reflects lack of transparency and accountability,” said Kontra Daya in a statement last June.

The Comelec has been accused of rigging the bidding process in favor of Miru Systems. Last April, former lawmaker Edgar Erice petitioned the Supreme Court to nullify and void the contract.

Erice also claimed that Miru Systems bribed an unnamed Comelec official of $15 million. Comelec chairperson George Garcia acknowledged that he was one being alluded to but denied the accusation.

(With reports from Gerard dela Peña, News5)

(PM)

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