Comelec issues 'stay away order' vs. Smartmatic for official tally system

Amid the controversy caused by the alteration made on the transparency server script, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday barred technology contractor Smartmatic from accessing the system for its official count without the poll body's consent.

The consolidation and canvassing system (CCS) is housed at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City, where the Comelec, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), is tallying the votes for senatorial and party-list races.

Explaining the new regulation, Comelec Commissioner Christian Lim told Smartmatic that the poll body issued the memorandum as a "precautionary measure" in light of "numerous concerns and speculations" about the integrity of the CCS.

Lim, who is also the 2016 elections project director, reminded Smartmatic that the NBOC has "sole and absolute control over the CCS workstation" at the PICC.

"Henceforth, access to the same shall be subject to strict protocols. Your personnel shall not be allowed access to the same unless with specific prior authority from the NBOC or the Project Monitoring Office. In any case, access to the same shall always be under the direct supervision of a duly designated Comelec personnel," Lim said in the memorandum addressed to Smartmatic Philippines general manager Elie Moreno.

Smartmatic personnel would also have to seek permission from Lim if they wish to examine any other equipment or system and follow the protocol of announcing any action to all parties present.

Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon branded the memorandum as a "stay away order."

STAY AWAY Order issued to Smartmatic. pic.twitter.com/9IE8WeBMjr

— Rowena V. Guanzon (@commrguanzon) May 13, 2016

The Comelec issued the directive after Smartmatic made controversial changes to the poll body's transparency server, which receives transmissions for unofficial counts.

Smartmatic said the alteration, conducted hours after the poll centers closed last Monday, was meant to replace question mark (“?”) in the names of candidates with "ñ", adding the results were not changed.

The Venezuela-based firm also insisted that there was Comelec authority to access the transparency server and introduce the script that altered the hash code.

“We cannot operate the platform without having the other half of the password which is with the Comelec. A Comelec representative typed their password when the change was made,” said Smartmatic technical support head Marlon Garcia.

But Guanzon countered that Smartmatic should not have asked for the password in the first place since the script change had no clearance from the Comelec en banc. — APG/JST, GMA News