Smartmatic turns over final software for 2022 polls — Comelec exec

FILE VOTE-COUNTING machines underwent a field test by the Comelec and Smartmatic in Marikina City. Image from RAFFY LERMA

MANILA, Philippines — Smartmatic has already turned over to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) the final software to be used for the 2022 national and local elections, which will be under a local source code review starting October, Commissioner Marlon Casquejo told lawmakers.

“It was already turned over on Sept. 16. We already have the final software to be reviewed starting October, Casquejo said during Thursday’s Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Automated Election System (AES).

Last May, the Comelec announced it awarded to the joint venture of Smartmatic USA Corp. and local partner SMMT-TMI 2016 (Smartmatic Philippines) the P402.7-million contract to provide the elections software to be used on the May 9 polls next year.

The review of the source code is in compliance with Section 12 of Republic Act of 9369, which states that “once an AES technology is selected for implementation, the Commission shall promptly make the source code of that technology available and open to any interested political party or groups which may conduct their own review thereof.”

“We expounded the scope of our local source code review. That is for the sake of transparency and accountability for the 2022 elections,” Casquejo said.

According to the Comelec official, the local source code review for the 2022 polls will start from October this year until March 2022.

So far, 18 groups represented by 70 reviewers have already expressed intent to participate in the review, said Casquejo.

“We are happy [about] that,” he added.

EDV