(MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — Ten vote counting machines (VCMs) used for 2022 national and local elections have so far been replaced as reports of malfunction come in, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reported Monday.
Comelec commissioner George Garcia, in a Viber message to reporters, said 10 VCMs have been replaced as of 8:15 a.m., a little over two hours since voting precincts opened.
In a separate press briefing, Comelec acting spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said elections shall continue in areas with malfunctioning VCMs.
Laudiangco explained ballots will be collected and a batch feeding—with the monitoring of watchers and accredited citizens’ arm—will be conducted once a functioning VCM is available.
“In the meantime, what will happen? Tuloy po ang botohan. Hindi po hihinto. Pabobotohin po ‘yung tao. ‘Yun nga lang po kung sakali man, hindi po nila ma-e-experience mag-feed nung balota sa machine. Pero hindi po ibig sabihin na hindi bibilangin,” Laudiangco said.
(In the meantime, what will happen? Elections shall continue. It will not stop and people will be allowed to vote. But they will not be able to experience feeding the ballots to the machine but it does not mean it will not be counted.)
“After po, ‘pag dumating na since nasa kalagitnaan na, iba-batch feeding po ‘yan later on under the watch of watchers and the accredited citizens’ arm. So wala pong reason para huminto ang botohan, magka-issue man po sa VCM,” he added.
(When the functioning VCMs arrive, we will batch feed the ballots under the watch of watchers and the accredited citizens’ arm. So there is no reason to stop the polls even if there are issues with VCMs.)
Laudiangco said that Comelec contingency measures are in place for malfunctioning VCMs.
“As we have emphasized before, contingency number 1, repair onsite. That’s the first thing that we will do. Meron pong technicians na itinalaga ang Comelec,” Laudiangco said in a press briefing.
(As we have emphasized before, contingency number 1 is repair onsite. That’s the first thing that we will do. We have Comelec-designated technicians.)
“‘Pag hindi kaya ng technician, call the National Tech Support Center, meron po mag-a-assist mismo du’n sa technician para i-resolve ‘yan. If that cannot be resolved on time, get the contingency VCM. ‘Pag ubos na ‘yung contingency VCM, we will have to go for repair,” he added.
(If the technician cannot address it, we call the National Tech Support Center. Someone there will assist the technician to resolve it. If that cannot be resolved on time, get the contingency VCM. If we no longer have contingency VCM, we will have to go for repair.)
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1594113/on-eve-of-vote-vcm-final-testing-yet-to-be-completed