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With little time left, PCOS source code arrives for review


(UPDATED 4:21 p.m.) - The controversial source code for precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines for the May 13 polls is now open for review, Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said Thursday as he received it from SLI Global Solutions, an international certifier that reviewed it, and the Dominion Voting System that owns it.

“We are prepared to come out with the source code in the open and all interested parties  will now be allowed to review it,” he said during the public presentation of the CD that contains the source code.

However, the arrival of the source code is almost certain to be too late for a proper review by local experts before the May 13 elections.

Brillantes thanked both Dominion and Smartmatic for agreeing to bring the source code to the Philippines despite their legal dispute.

“We owe it to Smartmatic and Dominion. They do not want that the elections in this country on May 13 will have some taint of vagueness or lack of credibility,” he said.

But technology specialists have long been saying that the source code must also be reviewed by local experts, as required by law.

Gus Lagman, a former Comelec commissioner who has become among the staunchest critics of the Comelec's preparations for the automated elections, said the turnover of the source code on Thursday is too late, asserting that a proper review would take four to six months.

"Medyo natatakot ako," Lagman said. "Halimbawa may nakitang diperensya sa source code, meron nang nanalo, madami natalo. Pag nagkaproblema na lumabas, sasabihin ng natalo invalid. Wala akong solusyon doon. Masyadong nakakatakot."

As of posting time, the source code review was ongoing in a room inside Comelec’s Project Management Office.

Only representatives from Dominion, SLI Global SOlutions, Comelec, political parties and interested groups were allowed inside, but an LCD television was placed outside the room to show what was happening inside but without the audio.

Top secret

Dominion’s engineering manager Reed Bodwell was seen in front of a computer, where the source code was encrypted, answering the questions from the representatives of Liberal Party (LP), United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), and Parish Pastoral  Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV).

The representatives were not allowed to disclose what they learned from the review.

The review, which started around 2:30 p.m., is expected to last until 6:00 p.m. Thursday and continue the next day if the parties are not contented with Dominion’s answers.

The review will be suspended as the Comelec will be busy for the elections. It is expected to resume in two weeks.

The source code was earlier reviewed by SLI, which said it passed their tests and met their standards.

"Final results of the review of modified code determined that the code satisfactorily met the prescribed standards," SLI said in its 16-page report dated February 12, 2013 and released on Thursday by the Comelec.

"Additionally all remaining 'major' discrepancies from the May 2011 code base were determined to be satisfactorily resolved. No 'critical' or 'major' discrepancies remain open within the source code base," it added.

The report further stated that no intentionally malicious code, written by the vendor and included in the voting system source code, was discovered.

Brillantes said the warring technology suppliers had an agreement but it cannot be divulged as it might affect the case the two firms are facing.

“There are items that are supposed to be confidential because they have a pending legal dispute in US. We do not want to affect this ongoing legal battle so we are not allowing them to make specific disclosure except to turn over the source code to us,” said Brillantes.

Safekeeping

The source code was contained in a compact disc which was brought to the country Sunday night by Michael Santos, SLI senior test manager, and handed over during the press presentation to Dominion representatives.

Santos tried to install the source code to a desktop which will also be used for the review of the source code. The initial attempt failed as Santos was encrypting straight from the CD.

After analyzing the problem, Comelec’s Project Management Office head Jose Tolentino said Santos will load the source code CD into the desktop’s hard drive before the encryption by entering three passwords.

When the second attempt succeeded, Santos then entered his password, followed by Tolentino on behalf of Comelec and then a Dominion representative.

The Comelec will be putting the CD in a box which will be brought to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and put in a vault for safekeeping.

When the second attempt succeeded, Santos then entered his password, followed by Tolentino on behalf of Comelec, and then Dominion’s Bodwell.

After the press presentation, Comelec put the CD in a safety box together with the documents. It was brought to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and put in a vault for safekeeping. — LBG/HS/VVP, GMA News
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