Comelec forms manual audit team for 2013 polls

AMID the continued questioning on the accuracy of the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has begun constituting the Random Manual Audit Committee (RMAC) for the forthcoming 2013 midterm polls.

In its three-page resolution, the commission en banc designated Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) head Henrietta de Villa and Comelec Commissioner Christian Lim as the chairperson and commissioner-in-charge (CIC), respectively.

“(This is) to direct the RMAC to immediately convene to study and recommend procedures for the conduct of RMA taking into consideration the conduct of the May 2010 elections RMA,” said Comelec Resolution 9538 dated October 9.

Aside from Lim and de Villa, also named as members of the panel are Agnes Carrion, officer-in-charge of the Comelec’s Internal Audit Office, and Carmelita Ericta, administrator of the National Statistics Office (NSO).

“Given the experiences, qualifications, professionalism, and performances of the previous chair and members of the RMAC for the 2010 elections, the Commission deems it best to designate the same office and the same personnel to compose the RMAC for the May 13, 2013 automated elections,” noted the commission.

The RMAC is also ordered to create a five-man secretariat that will assist the panel in the implementation of the manual audit of the 2013 polls, which will see the return of the PCOS machines.

Republic Act 9369 or the Poll Automation Law states that there should be RMA conducted in one precinct per congressional district randomly chosen by the Comelec.

“Any difference between the automated and manual count will result in the determination of root cause and initiate a manual count for those precincts affected by the computer or procedural error,” noted Section 29 of the law.

It can be recalled that in its 2010 report, the RMAC revealed that the variance showed between the manual and computer count of the results of the national and local elections was no more than one percent.

Variance refers to the difference in the machine count and in the audit of the results by teacher-auditors called by the Comelec to examine the ballots from the 1,145 participating clustered precincts.

Based on the 2010 report, the total variances of 2,653 in the votes for president was only .49 percent of the 5,409 while the difference in the vice presidential votes was lower with 2,180 votes or .40 percent.

On the other hand, variations in the local positions mayor, congressman and governor were even lower at 2,182 (.40%); 1,947 (.36%); and 1,910 (.35%), respectively. (HDT)