VCM Testing Woes – Votes Goes to Roxas Instead of Duterte

06 May VCM Testing Woes – Votes Goes to Roxas Instead of Duterte

On Thursday afternoon, May 5, in Barangay Nalus in Kiamba town, Sarangani, it was reported that a vote-counting machine (VCM) might have been modified after showing the vote intended for presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte listed to the LP standard bearer Mar Roxas II.

“Because of this information, all of us have become paranoid. It’s so frustrating that we have to watch our votes against Comelec itself,” said lawyer Alena Gale Palileo Yabes, Duterte’s legal counsel in Sarangani.

“All we can do is file a complaint, put it in the minutes of the BEI (Board of Election Inspectors),” Yabes added.

Yabes also commanded her watchers to check for the VCM hash code, a unique code to recognize any software program. She said, “If you will see a different hash code…please report it. This means that this is not the right hash code and that VCM has been compromised, therefore, could be used for electoral fraud or cheating.”

The hash code for Barangay Nalus, where the error has been found is: A14791C42FDA957C47DBE3EA52FB2AA39DBFDAAFF683687A80B69F61A113EOF7.

The same incident happened in Hong Kong where an OFW got a Roxas vote in the receipt instead of Duterte. Take note that a receipt will be given after voting, so checking it before leaving the precinct can help you assure that your votes go to the right recipient candidates.

In a separate incident, Davao City 1st District Representative Karlo Nograles also reported via Facebook the same anomaly. His post reads, “In Lanao sur 1st district. During final testing of pcos machines the votes for Duterte is credited to Roxas by the PCOS. Same in Mati city.”

Yet Comelec Chairman Andres Baustista denied the complaint after verifying the information from the provincial election supervisors of Lanao Del Sur and Mati City.

PDP-Laban has warned their members to be watchful in their participation in the Comelec’s final testing and sealing (FTS). Affidavits have to be issued to legally file a complaint to the Comelec and the Supreme Court.

Here’s what PDP-Laban spokesperson Paola Alvarez said, “Please be advised that all people who participated in the testing and sealing of Vote Counting Machines (VCMs) which registered Mar Roxas instead of Rodrigo Duterte should execute an affidavit stating the VCM machine number and the polling precinct and polling center, municipality and province. We will file an appropriate petition with the Comelec and the Supreme Court on this matter”