LP calls for probe into glitches; Comelec vows to disclose areas where VCMs, SD cards failed

The Liberal Party on Friday asked the Commission on Elections to disclose the locations where vote counting machines and secure digital cards failed on Election Day.

At the same time, the LP asked the poll body to release a full technical report of the audit and system logs of the Comelec’s transparency server.

In response, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said it agrees with the requests made by the LP.

After transmitting the first set of partial and unofficial results in the senatorial race early Monday evening, the transparency server failed to come up with more figures for several hours until the wee hours of Tuesday.

“We agree with that suggestions, and in fact, we have started to work on it. One of those stated in the motion was to release the server logs, and we have already released that to the PPCRV,” Jimenez said.

PPRCV is the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting—the citizens’ arm of the Comelec.

According to the Comelec, at least 961 VCMs malfunctioned and 1,665 SD cards were corrupted on election day.

With each VCM meant to serve at least 1,000 registered voters, the number defective VCMs could have affected over one million voters.

The defective VCMs were replaced but their replacements took time, resulting in long queues in voting centers.

The Comelec has said that the VCMs could have malfunctioned because the VCM’s supplier, Smartmatic, differ from the supplier of the SD cards used in the VCM as well as the ballot paper and the pens.

“The suggestions [of the LP] has been echoed by other parties and are crucial in the election process that’s why steps are already been taken by the Comelec,” Jimenez said.  —NB/MDM, GMA News