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PARA kay Senador Risa Hontiveros, hindi dapat ipagwalang-bahala ang ulat hinggil sa umano’y kabiguan ng Commission on Elections (Comelec) na makakuha ng tinatawag na “legally-mandated certification” sa security at accuracy ng automated election system (AES) para sa nalalapit na halalan sa Mayo.
Hirit ni Hontiveros sa Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Automated Election System, isang puspusang imbestigasyon.
“Halos 70 araw na lang bago ang election day, kaya dapat agarang kumilos ang Senado at House of Representatives at siguraduhin na nasusunod ang lahat ng mekanismo sa batas para sa malinis at maayos na automated elections. Itong mga napapabalitang isyu ay dapat malinaw na, para walang pangamba o duda ang taumbayan pagdating ng Mayo 12,” ayon kay Hontiveros.
Partikular na tinukoy ni Hontiveros ang isang bahagi ng ulat kung binanggit ang mga katagang — “Comelec has yet to comply with Sec. 11 of RA 8436 as amended by RA 9369 or the Election Automation Law, which requires it to obtain a certification from an established international certification entity stating that the country’s AES, including its hardware and software components, is operating properly, securely and accurately.”
“Under the law, the certification should have been issued not later than three months before the date of the electoral exercises. This means that Pro V & V Inc., the international certification entity contracted by Comelec, should have already issued a certification on or before February 12, 2025,” paliwanag ni Hontiveros.
“Dapat matanong natin ang Comelec, sa pamamagitan ng joint congressional oversight committee, kung nasaan na ang certification na iyan na nagpapatunay na maayos ang ating automated election system. At kung wala pa ang certification, dapat maipaliwanag nila sa taumbayan kung bakit hindi pa ito nailalabas, sa kabila ng malinaw na deadline sa ilalim ng batas,” aniya pa.
Mungkahi ni Hontiveros sa Comelec, itigil ang paggamit ng AES nang walang certification, kasabay ng hirit na magsumite ng pormal na paliwanag sa oversight committee alinsunod sa itinakda ng batas.
Babala ng senador, lubhang apektado ang integridad ng halalan kung walang certification – “That would severely affect public confidence in the May 12 elections.”
Samantala, nais din ng nag-iisang oposisyon sa senado na pa-imbestigahan sa oversight committee ang ibinulgar ni Isabela vice-mayoral candidate Jeryll Respicio hinggil sa “vulnerability” ng dayaan sa gamit ang automated counting machines.
Naghain ng kasong criminal ang Comelec laban kay Respicio hinggil sa kanyang pananaw.
“The oversight committee can also shed light on alleged vulnerabilities in our AES – especially in procedures related to the counting and transmission of election results. Sana linawin ng Comelec kung dapat nga bang kinakabit lang ang modem sa automated counting machines kung magta-transmit na ito ng election results. Sa unang bersyon kasi ng Comelec instructions, parang sa testing process pa lang ay ikakabit na ang modem sa automated counting machines at hindi na ito tatanggalin,” ayon kay Hontiveros.
“While Comelec’s campaign against election-related misinformation is a good thing, the commission should not be dismissive of nor hostile to citizens, who in good faith, call out potential means for interference in the country’s automated elections,” giit ng senador.
“When it comes to automated elections, there is no such thing as security through obscurity. We should listen to all stakeholders on how we can improve the security of our votes, even when it takes the form of criticism. Ang pagpuna sa pamahalaan ay obligasyon ng bawat mamamayan, lalo na kung ito ay makakatulong sa malinis na halalan,” paliwanag pa ni Hontiveros. (ESTONG REYES)
