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Glitches prompt Comelec to stop testing of poll machines


(Updated 11:38 a.m.) After some voting machines malfunctioned on Monday, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has decided to cancel the testing and sealing of other Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines on Tuesday. In a phone interview with GMANews.TV, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said they decided to cancel the tests at midnight on Monday after reports came in saying some of the PCOS machines being tested have malfunctioned. Jimenez also said that they have decided to retrieve all the compact flash (CF) cards from all PCOS machines, which are already pre-positioned around the country.

On Monday, voting machines tested in Makati, Muntinlupa, Pateros, Batangas and Mindoro counted votes for those who were not even marked on the ballot, among other discrepancies. [See: Some poll machines fail to read votes accurately] “Right now we're assuming that all of the machines are affected," Jimenez in a separate interview on GMA Network's Unang Hirit. About 10,000 voting machines were supposedly tested on Monday. Jimenez admitted that the "glitches" experienced by the PCOS units were the primary reason for the cancellation. He noted, however, that this was a good thing because they will be able to remedy the problem on time. "Napigilan natin (We were able to stop it)," he said. He said that about 15,000 PCOS machines were supposed to be tested on Tuesday. Software failure He explained that the reason why the machine was not able to read the votes on the ballot was because of the failure of "one part of the program of the software." Jimenez likewise clarified that the incident affects only votes cast on the back of the ballot, which is the portion meant for local candidates. "Yung likod part ng balota the names were rearranged so parang nagkaroon ng double space, so the timing marks and the ovals were not corresponding (The names on the back part of the ballot were rearranged, leaving some space, so the timing marks and ovals did not correspond)," he said. He said that the CF cards should have been configured in such a way that the PCOS machines would be able to read the new layout of the ballot. The Comelec had earlier decided to change the orientation of the listing of candidates on the ballot from vertical to horizontal. Reconfiguration Poll machine supplier Smartmatic spokesman Gene Gregorio told GMANews.TV in a text message that they pulled out the CF cards to compare the sample ballots with the images captured by the machine. "(It will be) like an audit," Gregorio said. Jimenez said that they will also be reconfiguring the CF cards and then conduct another testing of the machines. He said that technology partner Dominion and Smartmatic will be conducting the process. But Gregorio said that they have yet to confirm when the tests will resume. Testing and sealing of the PCOS machines are scheduled to be conducted three to seven days before election day, ensuring that the equipment are in good working order. The Board of Election Inspectors — composed mostly of teachers — are expected to test 10 pre-shaded ballots and see whether the PCOS unit will be able to read the votes. Some 82,000 PCOS machines will be used in next week's polls, with about 6,000 as spares. The Comelec and Smartmatic will be holding a joint press conference later in the day regarding the matter. — RSJ/HGS, GMANews.TV
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