In Muntinlupa City, a sampling of problematic PCOS

Six Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines malfunctioned during final testing and sealing proceedings Monday in Muntinlupa City, encountering problems from defective ballot scanners to erratic printing.

Three of the machines will be up for replacement before May 10, according to Muntinlupa Comelec election assistant II Jonathan Espera. These include a PCOS machine at Tunasan Elementary School which simply did not operate, and one each at Bagong Silang Elementary School in Sucat and San Pedro E. Diaz High School in Alabang, which both had defective ballot scanners.

A technician will simply repair the defective machine at Buli Elementary School after it failed to revert to  “zero count” after the testing, Espera said on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a machine at Putatan Elementary School was found to have a backup memory card which was not properly installed, while another machine at Itaas Elementary School Annex was found to have a defective printer.

Espera said there was no confirmation yet whether the machines in the two schools would be replaced or simply be repaired.

Muntinlupa City has 335 clustered precincts.

Espera said PCOS glitches should be reported to the National Support Center by the board of election inspectors and PCOS supervisors assigned to the precinct, but the Muntinlupa Comelec also received such reports because the national call center was “overwhelmed” with calls on Monday.

Once the defective machines are replaced or repaired, the BEIs will be “reconvened” to sign and seal the machines before Election Day, he said.   Jaymee T. Gamil and Alex Austria