Comelec sends PCOS machines to courts to resolve election protests

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has ordered the distribution of computerized election machines to various courts nationwide to quickly resolve pending electoral protests in the May 10, 2010 elections.

It said the use of poll count optical scan (PCOS) machines is necessary for authentication of official ballots in last year’s elections.

In a resolution, the Comelec ordered that the PCOS machines be sent to any court with pending election protest cases.

But it stressed that only a limited number of machines would be distributed to courts.

In courts handling one to five election protest cases, three PCOS machines, including one backup machine, would be given, it said.

Courts with six to 10 election cases would be provided with six PCOS machines.

The commission added that the use of the PCOS machines shall be worth P5,000 per machine.

“The fee will be exclusive of the honorarium of PCOS technicians and costs of accessories and consumables of the PCOS machines,” a Comelec official explained.

The poll body bought 920 PCOS machines for the resolution of pending election protest cases.

But the Comelec said it would still come out with a separate resolution for the delivery of the machines to courts.