Poll automation cannot solve poll fraud, Comelec admits

MANILA, Philippines - Automated counting machines alone cannot solve the problem of poll fraud, including that in the upcoming Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) elections this August, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) admitted Monday. In a statement posted on the Comelec blog site, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said exhorted stakeholders to remain vigilant against fraud in the coming polls, saying the poll automation addresses only one aspect of the elections. "No amount of machines can solve election fraud. The machines only address one aspect of the election, which is accurate and speedy counting. People's vigilance and active participation is sill key in achieving clean, honest, orderly and credible elections," Jimenez said. Jimenez also said the security features embedded in the automated voting and counting machines will be useless without vigilance and active participation of stakeholders in the upcoming polls. The Comelec said it got "overwhelming support" from the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and various Muslim religious leaders and civil society organizations for the Aug. 11 polls. Jimenez said the PPCRV and the Bangsamoro civil society leaders which include the Assembly of Darul Ifta of the Philippines, will be the poll body's major partners to reach the ARMM voters at the grassroots level. He said the Comelec and service providers will field teams to conduct town-based voters' orientation programs starting July. During the summit, service providers Smartmatic-Sahi Technology and Avante International Technology conducted demonstrations on the process of voting, counting and electronic transmission of votes. "Comelec together with the service providers Smartmatic-Sahi and Avante will field various teams to conduct municipal based voters' orientation program starting July," Jimenez said. "We welcome the efforts of the local Muslim leaders and civil society groups to help us educate the voters, on the use of automated voting and counting machines, especially in the farthest Barangays and municipalities in the ARMM," he added. - GMANews.TV