Guanzon to Smartmatic: Don’t leave pending script tweak probe

Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon at the Comelec Canvassing Center inside the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City. JULLIANE LOVE DE JESUS/INQUIRER.net

Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner Rowena Guanzon warned the personnel of election technology provider Smartmatic that they should not leave the Philippines pending the investigation of the tweak in the script of the transparency server that shows the results of the May 9 polls.

In a radio interview, Guanzon said that she will file a memorandum on Monday to direct the Comelec en banc and the investigation committee to ask Smartmatic to bar its personnel from leaving the country.

“Sa Monday gagawa ako ng memorandum sa en banc and investigation committee na sulatan ang Smartmatic president na dapat walang aalis sa kanila habang iniimbestigahan sila,” she said over radio dzBB.

(On Monday, I’ll file a memorandum to the en banc and investigation committee to write to the Smartmatic president that no one should leave while investigation is ongoing.)

READ: Smartmatic faces probe

“Hindi dapat nila paalisin yung tao nila hanggang hindi pa tapos ang imbestigasyon (They can’t leave until the investigation is done)… Flight is an indication of guilt sa principles ng ebidensiya,” she added.

During the interview, Guanzon said that the Comelec is thankful that the script tweak did not affect the results of the polls. But if it did, repercussions would have been dire.

“Kung merong naapektuhan, imagine, uulit tayo ng bilang from the beginning na naman! Hindi na natin puwedeng idaan sa makina… Pasalamat lang tayo sa Diyos na walang nagkapalit-palit na mga boto,” she said.

(If something was affected, imagine, we’ll have to count from the beginning again! We wouldn’t use the machines… Thank God there were no switch ups in the votes.)

She then hit Smartmatic project director Marlon Garcia who made the “cosmetic change” of tweaking the “?” to “ñ” in the script.

READ: Guanzon: Smartmatic broke protocol, should be held accountable

“Akala niya eh sa kanya ang programa eh empleyado nga lang siya ng Smartmatic at kontrata namin eh… ‘Yun po ang malungkot diyan. Kung ‘di naman makakaapekto, bakit mo pa ginalaw?” she lamented.

(He thought the program is his, but he’s just an employee of Smartmatic and it’s our contract… That’s what was disappointing. If it won’t have any effects, why would you need to change it?)

Guanzon also said that Garcia attempted to troubleshoot a problem encountered by the canvassing and consolidation system (CCS) at the Philippine International Convention Center despite the “stay away” order issued by the en banc against Smartmatic personnel. The order states that the personnel of the technology provider should secure the consent first of the poll body before effecting changes in the CCS.

READ: Smartmatic’s defense: Comelec knew about tweak in script

The feisty commissioner said that members of the en banc share the view that Smartmatic should be held liable for the script tweak.

“We all share the same view. Dapat imbestigahan sila (They need to be investigated),” she said.

“[Mag]-sorry man o hindi. kung may liability siya, eh ‘di kulong siya. Kung may liability sa kontrata, multa ka,” she added.

(Even if they say sorry or not, if they have a liability, they should be jailed. If there is a liability in the contract, you get fined.) JE/rga