As the surveys show that a greater number of people in North Cotabato prefer Manny Pinol to be their governor, reliable reports are filtering from the other camp that there is a desperate attempt to find a way to cheat in the May 13 elections.
Just the other day, I received a verified report that there is an on-going negotiation between the other camp and a group of information technology (IT) which claims to have the technical and electronic capability to intercept the transmission of the PCOS machines and alter the results of the elections.
This report came as the survey results bared that voter preference for Manny Pinol as Governor is registered at over 70% in many areas of the province and big and spirited crowds gather for our sorties.
Even the money and rice and other goodies that they distribute to the people in the countryside noticeably failed to contain the surge of popular support for our candidacy.
The asking price of the group, which is reportedly beefed up by foreign IT experts, is a staggering P30-M for candidates for Governor, P20-M for congressional candidates and P10-M for bets for mayor.
“They are currently negotiating and it looks like they will bite the offer,” said the source who was alarmed by the fact that a top official of government would even consider getting involved in electronic vote manipulation because of the desire to win the elections.
Experts who were asked whether the so-called electronic cheating could indeed be done said that in theory it is doable especially if only one transmission is made.
But given the fact that multiple computers will be transmitting electronic data to the COMELEC’s central server, it would make the operations very difficult.
Just the same, I am not taking this report lightly.
I have already asked our lawyers to prepare a formal communication to COMELEC Chairman Sixto Brillantes to inform the poll body of this plan by the other group to engage a team of IT experts to alter the results of the elections in North Cotabato.
The formal communication will ask the COMELEC to summon the candidates involved in this scheme and ask them to shed light on the confirmed report on the on-going negotiations to cheat electronically.
Whether doable or not, the mere intent to cheat electronically will greatly affect the credibility of the results of the May 2013 elections.
I have to be very vigilant. One cheating is enough.
(Photo caption: This is the picture of the PCOS machines. Almost 1,000 of these machines will be fielded in North Cotabato.)
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