Smartmatic: Automated Eleksyon 2022 100% safe despite alleged breach

Eleksyon 2022 would remain 100 percent safe and secure despite an alleged security breach on the system of service provider Smartmatic Inc., a spokesman for the firm told a House committee on Monday.

Atty. Christopher Louie Ocampo told the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms in a hearing that the source code and software of the Automated Election System (AES) was wholly governed and controlled by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Smartmatic also emphasized that Comelec’s own servers and infrastructure are separate and distinct from theirs.

“Comelec’s servers and infrastructure are never connected to Smartmatic’s servers and infrastructure. The poll body never shares electoral data with Smartmatic, a fact that Comelec has affirmed and reaffirmed time and again,” Ocampo said.

“Also, Comelec has already informed the public that its system is secure and there is no hacking or penetration into their system,” he added.

The agency reiterated that there has been no hacking of the Comelec infrastructure as manifested by the National Bureau of Investigation.

“Please note, too, that Smartmatic’s system wasn’t hacked,” Ocampo said.

Some senators have earlier expressed concern over the reported breach involving Smartmatic.

Among them were Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who is running for vice president, and Sen. Imee Marcos, who chairs the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and whose brother is running for president.

Comelec 

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner George Garcia said the Comelec should not be dragged in the issue of the alleged security breach.

Garcia said Smartmatic had its own procedure when it came to their employees.

“Comelec should not be dragged into this issue. It’s the call of the Smartmatic. It’s their own processes, at the same time it’s their people, whatever that has transpired is their own,” Garcia said.

“And therefore, as far as the Comelec is concerned, we will just rely on whatever is the outcome of the investigation. So, it’s up to Smartmatic,” he added.

Meanwhile, Cavite Representative Elpidio “Pidi” Barzaga Jr. asked if Smartmatic could make its own statement without violating confidentiality agreement with the Comelec.

Citing that Smartmatic is included before the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee (JCCO), Garcia responded that any “confidentiality can be set aside in lieu of public interest involved.”

Agusan del Norte Rep. Lawrence Fortun, on the other hand, requested Smartmatic to forward detailed reports regarding the alleged security breach.

“They give us particular data and information and then explain to us what it is all about and tell us why this information or data is not sensitive,” Fortun stated. —NB, GMA News