Comelec readies contingency measures for polls

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is readying contingency measures against possible hitches that may occur during the conduct of polls this May.

Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes said the poll body is preparing all election requirements to thwart any problems that may arise during the voting.

“We are preparing for an automated election. We have contingencies in the event that something happens, but not because of what they (critics) are thinking, but it is just a requirement that we should have a continuity plan if something happens,” Brillantes said.

He said the Comelec has already issued general instructions for Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) to follow in case the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines malfunction.

The Comelec issued Resolution 9635, which provides a contingency plan that would ensure continuous operation of the automated election system (AES) in the May polls.

The continuity plan empowers and authorizes the poll body to adopt – in exceptional cases – additional procedures in the voting, counting, consolidation, transmission, storage, custody, distribution and retrieval of accountable forms and paraphernalia to ensure free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections.

The Poll Automation Law requires the issuance of a continuity plan “to cover risks to the AES at all points in the process such that a failure of elections, whether at voting, counting or consolidation, may be avoided.”

Earlier, poll watchdog group KontraDaya urged the Comelec to come up with a contingency plan that would be used in case the PCOS machines bog down.

KontraDaya expressed doubts on the capability of the PCOS machines to deliver transparent, credible and accurate elections.

But Brillantes said the poll watchdog is already criticizing the Comelec without first checking if such contingencies already exist.