NAMFREL head wants manual vote counting but automated canvassing

Election watchdog National Citizen's Movement for Free Elections' chairman Gus Lagman on Wednesday said he would prefer a manual vote counting at the precincts level, but canvassing later would be automated. 

"Kailangan mano-mano ang vote count sa presinto tapos automated after that," he said in an interview on "News to Go." 

He pointed out that the method could prevent cheating during the elections.

Despite the Commission on Elections (Comelec) assurances that improvements have been made for the 2019 polls, Lagman said the automated canvassing cannot prevent cheating.

"Kailangan pa rin tayo magbantay sa canvassing kasi ... you can also automate cheating. Kaya importante yung sa presinto, talagang mano-mano," he said. 

According to the Comelec, at least 82 improvements have been introduced in the automated elections system to ensure the integrity and accuracy of the 2019 midterm polls.

Also, the poll body has proposed enhancements in the election management system, the vote counting machines (VCMs), the canvassing and/or consolidating system, the local source code review, and the public website. —Jessica Bartolome/LBG, GMA News