STATEMENT

May 11, 2025

The COMELEC should explain why an updated version of the software which is not in the TEC Certification is now being used for the automated counting machines (ACMs).

The version used in the Final Testing and Sealing of machines is version 3.5.0 while only version 3.4.0 is certified. What kind of revisions were made to the final version? Why were such revisions implemented without proper announcement to the public?

If the COMELEC fails to make an accounting of this process, then there is every reason to doubt the results of the election. We cannot just subscribe to the official narrative to just simply trust the machine. The machine and its inner workings should reflect the people’s vote and be subject to public scrutiny to ensure that it will record our vote. Any attempt to update the software version could include the insertion of certain lines of code that would facilitate electronic “dagdag-bawas.”

This lack of transparency all the more strengthens Kontra Daya’s demand that manual counting be done at the precinct level prior to electronic transmission.This is the only way we can guard our votes. After all, we would rather be slow but sure than fast but uncertain.

This is not a simple “tech issue” that should be settled among IT experts. COMELEC should be accountable for not following the right process in the final testing and sealing of the ACMs, putting into question the integrity of the entire automated election system.

We call on the people to remain vigilant as we demand transparency and fight all forms of election fraud, including this case that the COMELEC appears to perpetuate given their failure to explain.

For verification and more information, please contact Dr. Danilo Arao, Kontra Daya convenor (danilo.arao@up.edu.ph)