The Commission on Elections said that the stripping of Voter Counting Machines (VCMs) and the Consolidated Canvassing System (CCS) laptops use in the May 9, 2016 elections is necessary to be able to return the leased machines to poll technology provider, Smartmatic.
COMELEC Chairman Andres Bautista, however clarified that they have not yet started with the stripping and they will abide by the order of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) and the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET).
The camp of former Senator Bongbong Marcos questioned the COMELEC's resolution ordering the stripping of election materials despite the issuance of a Precautionary Protection Order for the poll body to secure and preserve the integrity of all election documents. The stripping, according the Marcos' camp supposedly started on July 16.
Chairman Bautista also said that option to purchase the VCMs will be triggered if the machines are not returned by December 1. The stripping of the machines will involve the backing-up of files from the SD cards and the CCS, which the Chairman further clarified, will not compromise the results of the polls. ###
Source: Education and Information Department