Comelec deposits election source codes in BSP

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday deposited to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) the final trusted build of the source codes for the 2025 national and local elections (NLE). 

This is under Republic Act No. 9369 or the Automated Election Law, which mandates the Comelec to deposit the source codes for the automated election system (AES) in escrow with the BSP. 

“Regardless whether there is a provision under RA 9369 or not, we are going to deposit. That’s our commitment simply because that is under the principle of transparency, Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said.

“Because nasa BSP ang source codes ng tatlong systems natin masasabi natin na protektado ang lahat ng source codes,” he said. 

(Now that the source codes are in the BSP, we are ensuring they are safe.)

The Comelec and the BSP signed an escrow agreement for the depositing of the AES source codes, which includes the source codes for the automated counting machines, consolidation and canvassing system, election management system, secure electronic transmission systems, and online voting and counting system to the central bank vault for safekeeping. 

“Pagbukas ng vault, ‘yung lahat ng na-depositong envelopes na naglalaman ng mga source codes simula 2010, nandun yun. Hindi natatanggal, hindi naalis,” said Garcia. 

(Once we open the vault, we can see all the deposited codes since 2010.)

“Iba ang level ng security dito sa BSP at para mapatunayan natin sa sambayanan na protektado ang source codes natin,” he said. 

(The BSP has a high level of security.)

Garcia said the Comelec will keep the key to the deposited source codes, which was signed by him and some poll watchdogs. He also said the vault would not be opened unless “Congress asks us to produce” it.

“Kapag may election protest, hindi binubuksan ang envelope…Sa election protests, the highest evidence is the original ballot,” he added. 

(The deposited envelope will not be opened for election protests. In election protests, the highest evidence is the original ballots.) –NB, GMA Integrated News

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