Pimentel urges Comelec to allow examination of source code on PCOS machines

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Monday demanded that the Commission on Elections be fully transparent in its preparations for the 2013 midterm polls and allow political parties and concerned individuals to examine the source code used for the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines.

“The best legacy you can leave is the successful automated elections that are fully transparent, meaning they should comply with the laws,” he said during an interview over Radyo Inquirer 990AM. He was specifically asked what he wished to tell Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr.

Pimentel pressed the Comelec to allow IT experts to examine the source code created for the PCOS machines to be used in the May elections, saying that this was required under the law.

Colorado-based SysTest Labs reviewed the source code used for the PCOS machines back in 2010 and gave Comelec a report detailing recommendations for major and minor issues.

The senator questioned why no Filipino IT professional has been allowed to examine the source code when this was something required under Republic Act 9369 or the poll automation law.

“This is a right and we should not be requesting that they allow us to study the source code,” said the senator, adding that Comelec can no longer tell interested parties that the source code was not yet available since they were able to hold mock polls during the weekend.

“Don’t tell me that the software isn’t ready yet. They held mock tests (over the weekend) which means that they already used the software,” he said.

Pimentel added that the Comelec can be held in contempt for not allowing local parties to take a look at Smartmatic’s source code.

“What is the problem? Why won’t Comelec show us the source code? Are they waiting to be held in contempt by the Supreme Court?” he asked.

Pimentel stressed that the poll body should stop calling the glitches in its recent mock elections “minor” and instead focus on solutions.

“I propose another series of mock elections to check if these problems have been resolved,” he suggested.

Opening the source code to local IT professionals would lessen the worries of candidates for the upcoming elections of possible cheating, he said.

The senator left the United Nationalist Alliance last year after the coalition included former Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri in its senatorial slate.

Pimentel has earlier accused the former senator of cheating in the 2007 polls.