Comelec: Eleksyon 2022 is ‘last dance’ for aging VCMs

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it is keen on disposing of old vote-counting machines (VCMs) amid reports of malfunctions during the conduct of the 2022 national and local elections.

Poll Commissioner Marlon Casquejo issued the remark on Monday when asked in a press conference if the same VCMs will be used in the succeeding elections.

"Sa tingin ko ito na 'yung last dance ng ating mga vote-counting machines. Hindi na natin gagamitin ito in 2025 elections kasi kahit sabihin na kaunti lang ang budget na ibigay for 2025 but we will insist na we will not use anymore these VCMs for the succeeding elections," Casquejo, chairman of the Eleksyon 2022 steering committee, said.

(In my view this will be the last dance for these vote-counting machines. We will not be using them in the 2025 elections. Even if we get only a small budget for 2025 we will insist that we not use these VCMs anymore for the succeeding elections.)

He explained that even the Commission on Audit (COA) recommends a certain period for the lifespan of the machines used by the government.

"Kumbaga ito, hanggang dito lang ang kaya ni vote-counting machines, lifespan. Kahit sa COA rules, may lifespan ang ating mga technical machines... five years lang dapat idi-dispose na 'yan e. Ito aabot na ng nine years," he added.

(This is the extent of these vote-counting machines, their lifespan. Under COA rules, these technical machines have a lifespan...after five years they have to be disposed of. We have been using these for nine years.)

At the same press conference, Comelec Commissioner George Garcia said that the VCMs were subjected to final test and sealing but this does not guarantee that the VCMs would be perfectly operational come election day.

"Siyempre ang pagte-test at seal hindi guarantee na hindi papalpak o magkakaroon ng problema kahit po bagong sasakyan na kapag kukuhanin mo na tiyaka mo makikita kung may sira e yun pa kayang matanda nang machine," Garcia said.

(Of course the testing and sealing do not guarantee that there won't be a failure or problems. When you buy a new vehicle and you see it can have malfunctions, then more so with old machines.)

"Talaga namang inaamin ng commission na medyo may edad na itong makina natin pero gumagana at nakakabilang nang tama yon ang pinaka-importante," he added.

(The Commission acknowledges that these machines are aging, but they're still working and are able to count correctly, and that it what is most important.)

In an interview with anchor Vicky Morales on 24 Oras, Garcia said that the experience of this current election is an indication that it is time to replace the machines.

"[D]efinitely po because of these experiences that we have right now, tamang-tama na po siguro na sa susunod nating halalan, dapat naman na may bago na tayong makina na gagamitin para sa ating halalan [it's appropriate that in the next elections we should have new machines]," he said.

Garcia also said that the Comelec was unable to purchase new machines due to budget constraints. 

"Sa ating pagkakaalam, dahil siyempre tayo ay bago dito sa Komisyon, ay naipursigi naman ng Comelec na magkaroon tayo ng mga bagong makina. Kaya lamang po, sadyang sa kakulangan ng budget na naibigay sa atin, ay hindi po natin kinaya na makabili o makapag-secure ng bagong makina," he said.

(As far as I know, because of course I am new to the Commission, the Comelec tried to get new machines. But due to the lack of budget, we were not able to buy or secure new machines.)

According to GMA News' Tina Panganiban-Perez's tweet, Casquejo reported that 168 VCMs and 176 SD cards have been found defective. Of the said number, 44 VCMs have been repaired and 81 SD cards were replaced.

Here’s an updated report on defective VCMs and SD cards. Comelec Comm Marlon Casquejo says 168 VCMs & 176 SD cards have been found defective. 44 VCMs have been repaired & 81 SD cards replaced. Casquejo says in 2019, there were 5,000 defective machines. @gmanews #Eleksyon2022 pic.twitter.com/F5NiOUgjAN

— Tina PanganibanPerez (@tinapperez) May 9, 2022

Casquejo said in 2019, there were 5,000 defective machines.

Several reports indicated that long lines and issues with VCMs hounded the first few hours of the Election Day. — BM, GMA News