An official of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in Palawan defended the vote counting machines (VCMs) used during the recent midterm elections against critics and doubters, insisting they cannot be “manipulated.”
Jomel Ordas, the spokesperson of the poll body in Palawan, said it is the reason why some politicians resort to buying votes because the VCMs are “accurate.”
“Ang mga politiko ay kinikilala rin nila ang ating automated system kaya before isaksak ang balota sa VCM doon sila usually nag-aattempt mandaya. Alam kasi nila na hindi madadaya ang accuracy ng machine pati mismo ang katotohanan. May iba nagpa-pa-recount pero ganoon pa rin ang lumalabas,” Ordas said.
Ordas said politicians usually attempt to conduct massive vote buying before the actual day of the election.
“Kaya ang vote buying ay ginagawa nila bago pa man basahin ng VCM ang balota kasi kapag once na naipasok na ‘yan sa VCM wala na. Nagkakaroon ng bilihan ng boto kasi alam nila na hindi madadaya ang machine,” he said.
Ordas admitted that vote buying “is worst this election compared to the previous elections.”
Unlike in the past when vote buying was never made a big issue, Ordas said that this election year, it was one of the top complaints.
But vote buying complaints should be filed to their office before any action is made.
“Hindi pa gaano ang issue sa vote buying dati kasi hindi pa siguro ganoon katindi. Hindi halos pinapansin ang vote buying dati, ngayon may mga issue pero dapat mag-file pa rin sila ng complaint kasi doon magsisimula ang imbestigasyon,” Ordas added.
“Ngayon lumalaki ang issue ang vote buying pero wala pa rin nagco-complain maliban doon sa Puerto Princesa na may isa. Pero ang tingin natin dyan ay nagpapakita lang ‘yan na hindi kayang dayain ng mga politiko ang VCM o ang automated election,” he said.
