Adel Tamano gets an answer from COMELEC, Smartmatic
Comelec, Smartmatic: Pre-shading of ballots unlikely – By Reynaldo Santos Jr., Newsbreak
‘It’s not a question of technology but of security’
Both the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Smartmatic TIM on Thursday dismissed suggestions that ballots in the first ever automated elections in May might be pre-accomplished by the camps of cheating candidates.
The poll body and the counting machines supplier were responding to a comment made by Nacionalista Party senatorial candidate Adel Tamano, who said the ovals in the newly designed ballots might be shaded by certain quarters in the course of their transfer and delivery from Manila to various precincts nationwide.
The Philippines will be using a new kind of ballot in May, where the names of all candidates will be printed, and the voter has to shade the ovals that correspond to the names of his preferred national and local candidates. The ballot will not be read out by election inspectors and will instead be fed by the voter himself onto the counting machine, which in turn will scan the shades.
Election Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal gave assurances that the colored ballots, to be printed starting on January 25, will be safely and properly delivered to its designated precincts.
He said the ballots will be packed and shipped in a sealed envelope. “The question as to the being shaded beforehand will not happen if the ballots packaging is still sealed” when they reach their destinations, he said.