Forget hybrid voting, Comelec told

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) should drop the hybrid option from next year’s elections in view of the “disastrous” showing of the precinct automated tallying system being pushed by former Commissioner Augusto Lagman.

“The time for experimentation is over because the Comelec has seen before its eyes that a hybrid system will mean the return to the dark ages of Philippine elections,” Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said in a phone interview.

“It is noteworthy to stress that manual elections is out of the question. We have to move forward,” said Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro, chair of the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms.

The Comelec conducted a simulated testing of the hybrid system on Saturday, holding two mock elections at Bacoor National High School in Cavite.

Two hours after the voting ended, only 20 to 25 ballots had been counted, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said. The demonstration was hobbled by a malfunctioning printer.

Jimenez refused to call the voting a failure but admitted that since the hybrid system used a manual count, it could take as long as 24 hours to finish the counting.–Gil Cabacungan