Malacañang mum on poll sabotage

Malacañang said yesterday it will be up to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to explain the alleged attempt by China to sabotage the 2016 elections.

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. asked the Comelec to explain on the matter.

“It is best that Comelec explain this matter as we have no information on the point mentioned by Commissioner (Christian Robert) Lim in the House hearing,” Coloma said.

Reports revealed that Comelec has received initial reports that China is allegedly planning to sabotage the 2016 presidential elections, which is why the Comelec has transferred the manufacture of the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines from China to Taiwan.

There is currently an ongoing territorial dispute between the Philippines and China. The dispute has been elevated to the International Tribunal.

No extra cost The government will not shell out a single centavo for the transfer of the manufacturing of the optical machine reader (OMR), which will be used for the 2016 elections, from China to Taiwan.

Smartmatic-Total Information Management (TIM) Corporation disclosed it will spend around 400 million to relocate the production of the OMRs in compliance to the request of Comelec.

“We have agreed to the said request despite the fact that such a transfer will force us to shoulder an additional cost amounting to 5% of the total contract price,” Smartmatic President for AsiaPacific Cesar Flores said.

Source code review Meanwhile, groups interested to review the source code to be used for the automated 2016 election, will have until next week to file their accreditation with the Comelec.

The poll body disclosed only registered parties will be allowed to scrutinize the electronic instructions of the automated election system (AES) in the polls next year.

“The written request shall be filed not later than 22 September 2015 during the regular office hours at the Office of Commissioner Robert S. Lim, Commission on Elections,” a resolution promulgated last Monday said.