MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections must ensure that precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines used in the 2010 are up to the task of counting votes in the 2013 midterm elections, a Palace spokeswoman said Tuesday.
"It will be up to the COMELEC to ensure that the PCOS machines to be used in the 2013 midterm elections will be up to the task, as it is part of its constitutional mandate to ensure orderly and truthful elections," Deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte said.
The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting earlier said it sees no reason to doubt the operations of the Smartmatic-TIM PCOS machines after the speedy results of the 2010 elections.
PPCRV chairperson Henrietta de Villa said additional safeguards should be installed to erase all doubts about the results of the upcoming polls.
She also said she favors a review of the source code of the PCOS machines.