MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has sold the old precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines used in previous elections for P12.26 million.
The 81,776 PCOS machines, used during the country’s first-ever automated election system (AES) in the 2010 elections, were auctioned off to the highest bidder – Microsphere System Technology.
Peripherals such as plastic bins with cover, yellow metal ballot boxes and plastic pallets have been sold to RHT Storage Center for P202,000.
The Comelec ordered the two winning bidders to pull out the machines and peripherals within 30 calendar days upon receipt of the Notice of Award after they made full payment.
The PCOS machines were leased from Smartmatic-TIM (Total Information Management) – the country’s first automated poll service provider for P7.2 billion for the May 2010 national and local elections.
The Comelec afterwards purchased the PCOS machines for P1.8 billion, which were used in the May 2013 midterm polls.
For the May 2016 presidential elections, the Comelec decided to lease a newer AES called vote counting machines or VCMs, also from Smartmatic-TIM. — Mark Ernest Villeza