Around 85% VCMs finished final testing, sealing before May 9 polls —Comelec

Around 85% of the vote counting machines (VCMs) finished final testing and sealing so far before the May 9 elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Sunday morning. 

Acting Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said at least 90,305 or 85% of the VCMs have successfully undergone final testing and sealing.

He said the final testing and sealing of the remaining 15% VCMS will be done on Sunday.

“Sa 106,174 [VCMs], nakatapos na po successfully na mag-final testing ang sealing ang 90,305 [VCMs]. It is equivalent to 85% po. Doon na lang po sa 15% po ine-expect na lang po namin matapos po sila today,” the acting Comelec spokesperson said in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.

(Of the 106,174 [VCMs], at least 90,305 [VCMs] have successfully completed the final testing of sealing, which is equivalent to 85%. As for the remaining 15%, [final testing and sealing] is expected to be finished today.)

“In fact, mayroon na po nag-report na mag-iiskedyul as early as this morning 'yung 287 [units]. The rest po ang tingin namin nakatapos na rin po sila at magre-report na lang din po kasi medyo late na rin po ang iba,” he added.

(In fact, it was already reported that 287 [units] will be scheduled as early as this morning. The rest, we think they have already finished and they will just have to report it because the others are also a bit late.)

The acting Comelec spokesperson, meanwhile, said there is also a small percentage of defective SD cards reported as of Saturday night.

“Maliit na porsiyento lang po ito, wala pa pong 1% as of last night. Napakaliit na porsiyento. Ito po ay nasa ano lang po 0.19%. Ganu'n lang po kaliit. It is equivalent to 202 [pieces],” he said.

(It's just a small percentage, it's not even 1% as of last night. It's a very small percentage. It's only 0.19%. That's how small it is only equivalent to 202 [pieces].)

“Mabilis po itong nalunasan kasi po ngayon mayroon na po kaming provincial technical hub sa lahat ng probinsya. Kaya po kung SD card lang ang problema, ito ay bibigyan ng authorization sa command center namin. Automatic po magagawan nila ang SD card,” he added.

(It was solved quickly because now we have a provincial technical hub in all provinces. So if the problem is only the SD card, this will be given authorization at our command center. They can automatically replace the SD card.)

The Comelec earlier reported that a total of 790 VCMs were found to be defective, which is less than 1% of the total number of VCMs.

However, only at least 233 VCMs have been replaced as of Saturday.

Meanwhile, at least 143 SD cards were found to be defective, but only 107 have so far been replaced.

The final testing and sealing of VCMs began on May 2. —KG, GMA News