House panel to inspect Smartmatic warehouse

MANILA, Philippines – A delegation from the House of Representatives, led by Makati Rep. Teodoro Locsin, will conduct an ocular inspection of the Smartmatic warehouse in Laguna tomorrow in connection with the House committee investigation on alleged poll fraud.                                                 

Locsin, chairman of the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms, will be accompanied by re-elected Paranaque Rep. Roilo Golez, and Quezon City Rep. Annie Rosa Susano, who has a compact flash card in her possession.                                                                           

IT experts who attended a committee hearing suggested that the committee examine the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines and the compact flash cards.

Probe to continue           

Congress has already started canvassing the votes for president and vice president but Locsin said the committee will continue its investigation.                                         

“Yes, we’re going to continue. Why, do you see a need to stop the investigation? Just tell me, because I too would want this finished. I’m also a journalist like you,” Locsin said. “I’m interested in finding out the truth also. ”

Smartmatic, the Venezuelan contractor hired by the Commission on Elections to provide the PCOS machines, has challenged automation critics to hold a manual count of the votes if they suspect irregularities in the transmission of election results.                                                                                 

“If they doubt the system, they can check the ballots (inside the PCOS machines),” said Cesar Flores, president of Smartmatic-TIM for Southeast Asia.