Automating Philippine Elections Not Possible?

OK, our company run a non-partisan election website so I’m not supposed to give comments regarding what’s happening right now this election season. But since my comments will not involve partisan politics and in fact involves the industry we’re we belong — Information Technology, I think it’s just alright to voice out my concerns.

A group of people calling themselves Information Technology Foundation of the Philippines has been beating the COMELEC since late last year and claiming that they are not prepared and capable of handling the automated elections in May. The latest noise came in yesterday. They said the machines are not good, it can be hacked or cannot handle the papers for proper reading of votes, among other complains.

Senator Sotto also complained, The masses will be seriously disadvantaged”, pertaining to what is perceived to be a harder way of shading the ballots than manually writing the candidates names. He, among other politicians, also claim that it is much easier to cheat using an automated system. If it’s “ballot switching” before, it’s going to be “diskette switching” now.

I’m not an expert nor a politician. I may not be the authority on this. But let me share the reasons why I feel uncomfortable with all these attacks on the COMELEC and objections to using the automated system of voting this coming elections.

First of, I doubt it if its really easier to cheat under the automated system than the traditional system. In the first place, the politicians have perfected the craft of cheating using the old manual system. They’ve been doing it for years, so technically, they know the ins and outs. But this time, the process is new. It’s going to be harder for them to come up with new techniques.

Secondly, I echo Commissioner Abalos’ question, “What’s easier, to shade or to write the names?”

Last but certainly not the least, I smell something fishy with all these objections from the said organization. Do the complainants have no vested interests? During a press briefing in August 2003 hosted by ITFP announcing the filing of a case against COMELEC, top officials of the losing bidder of the P1.3B contract of automated counting machines, Total Information Management (TIM), were present. Are the lawsuit and smear campaign against the country’s election managers funded by vested interests?

My layman’s mind is confident with the claims of COMELEC that they are prepared to handle the first automated elections in the Philippines. Why don’t we just support them. Our country is in a mess right now. We need to unite to be able to achive a certain, immediate goal — a clean and accurate elections in May 2004.