By: Jetaime Kaina Cerbito
Photo Courtesy: Philippine Information Agency (PIA)
Poll watchdog Vote Report PH records 4,566 reports on election violations as of May 12, 2:00 PM, and around 200 malfunctioning automated counting machines (ACMs) have been replaced by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).
Vote Report PH’: data indicates 53.9% of its received election violations were ACM errors, 7.8% for illegal campaigning, 7.2% on disenfranchisement, and 6.2% on red-tagging.
Several schools in Manila including Rosauro Almario, Manuel L. Quezon, and Legarda Elementary Schools, which served as polling centers for the May 12 elections, were found with scattered sample ballots and campaign materials for various local and national candidates.
According to the COMELEC, distribution of sample ballots and any kinds of election paraphernalia is illegal, as campaigning has been prohibited from May 11 to 12.
Cebu recorded five incidents of ACM malfunction at the Lahug Elementary School which were immediately resolved by authorized technicians.
Similarly, Batangas experienced technical difficulties with ACMs during the early hours of voting at the GB Lontoc Memorial Integrated School in Lipa.
“Mayroon tayong more or less 200 machines na kinakailangan palitan. Hindi naman huminto pero napapansin namin nakaka-dalawang beses nag-reject,” COMELEC poll chief George Erwin Garcia stated.
“16,000 ang contingency natin. In fact nung 2022, umaga pa lang 2,500 na makina na ang pinapalitan. Of course, mga lumang makina yan. Ang sa amin preventive measure, kahit di pa sira ang makina pero nagpapakita na ng indication, pinu-pull out na agad,” he added.
At a precinct in Zamboanga del Sur, an ACM began rejecting ballots around 5:30 A.M. which persisted past 6:56 A.M.
According to the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE), voters were still allowed to fill out their ballots, which were temporarily set aside until the machine could process them.
Similar problems were reported in Ilocos Sur, Cagayan, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Aklan, and Lanao del Norte. In Santa Cruz, Laguna, a paper audit trail jam occurred but was promptly resolved by the electoral board.
Although most voting centers monitored by LENTE began preparations on schedule, prompt resolution of technical and procedural issues is essential to prevent voter disenfranchisement and uphold public confidence in the electoral process.