There’s no cheating PCOS machine, says Brillantes

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes said the poll body has a prize on the table for anyone who can break into the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines and manipulate the results it would produce.

“I am challenging anyone who can hack into the PCOS machines. Maybe we can give them something [if they are successful],” said Brillantes in an interview.

The poll chief made the remark after being given the failing mark by the Automated Election System (AES) Watch concerning its preparations for the May elections.

AES Watch, an umbrella coalition of about 40 organizations composed of information technology practitioners, academics from various disciplines and other professionals monitoring preparations for the mid-term elections, gave the Comelec a failing grade of 0.29, with 4 being the highest and 0 being the lowest.

“The PCOS machines cannot be manipulated,” said Brillantes.