Comelec escrows transmission router source codes in BSP for safekeeping
The Commission on Elections deposits in escrow the transmission router source codes to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for safekeeping. Photo from Office of Chair Saidamen Pangarungan
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) deposited in escrow on Monday the transmission router source codes to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for safekeeping until after the May 9 elections.
A source code, created by programmers, is human-readable instructions that define how a computer functions.
“The Comelec once again comes to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, pursuant to [Republic Act No.] 9369, this time to deposit the Final Trusted Build of the source codes for the Election Results Transmission Services,” Comelec chair Saidamen Pangarungan said.
“These source codes were certified by the International Certification Entity, the Pro V&V from Alabama, [United States of America]. Through the Pro V&V, the Technical Evaluation Committee has certified that these source codes are operating properly, securely, and accurately. This puts one less worry out of our minds and takes us another step closer to a successful election happening a week from now,” he added.
Comelec Commissioner Marlon Casquejo, meanwhile, said that the deposit to BSP might be the last for this year’s elections.
“We have already tested this transmission router in our data centers and it passed all the necessary modifications. So, I think this will be the last, hopefully, and there will be no more modifications of our source codes,”
BSP Managing Director Rosabel Guerrero assured that the source codes will be safe as only Comelec officials have custody of the keys and combination codes.
“These source codes shall be safely kept inside a highly protected vault and secured by a series of metal locks and combination codes,” she said.
“The keys to the metal locks as well as the combination codes shall be under the sole custody of the designated Comelec officials,” continued Guerrero.
In January, the Comelec and BSP signed an escrow agreement for the safeguarding of the automated election system source codes.
