Atienza agrees with Duterte to replace Smartmatic

Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza has agreed with President Rodrigo Duterte to replace vote counting machines (VCMs) provider Smartmatic in time for the next elections.

In a Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum on Wednesday, Atienza said Duterte was right to call for the replacement of Smartmatic.

“I’m happy with his statement, Smartmatic must go,” Atienza said.

During Duterte’s visit in Japan last month, the President told the Commission on Elections to “dispose of” Smartmatic following numerous election irregularities, including computer glitches experienced by several VCMs.

READ: Duterte tells Comelec: Dispose of Smartmatic

There were over 961 VCMs that malfunctioned on the election day itself despite passing previous tests.

Among the cities that experienced problems with VCMs were Pasig, Makati and San Juan, affecting the casting of votes of several people including former Vice President Jejomar Binay and then mayoral candidate Vico Sotto. (Editor: Jonathan P. Vicente)

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