THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE AND THE PCOS MACHINE…

As the election campaign period nears, my movements have shifted to a higher gear and I travel around the province almost everyday, even late into the night, to reach out to people.

The response of the people has been both humbling and heart-warming.

In a recent survey conducted by a statistical group of a University in North Cotabato commissioned by a business group, it was shown that over 70% of the estimated 2,000 respondents picked Manny Pinol over the incumbent Governor.

In fact, in the biggest town of Midsayap the figures were shocking: 83% for us and a measly 17% for the incumbent Governor.

These figures and data are not only indications of discontent but a clear manifestation of dislike.

But while we are riding high on the massive support and approval by the people in North Cotabato, we have to be wary and vigilant when the actual voting day comes.

As shown in the past election, the cheating operations were so massive and well-organized.

It even involved the installation of electronic signal jamming devices in the municipal canvassing centers so that the automatic transmission of the PCOS machines to the national tabulation center of the results of the elections would be blocked.

This allowed members of the cheating operations to manipulate the figures in the CF Cards which were brought manually to the provincial canvassing center.

No wonder then that so many people cried when the results of the 2010 election which showed us losing by over 37,000 were announced.

Tuesday night last week, I talked with former COMELEC Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal and I asked him whether the system which will be used in the 2013 elections could still be manipulated.

His answer was NO! But at the same time, he warned that there still could be cheating at the local level by exploiting the gaps and loopholes in the procedures.

What are these windows of cheating opportunities and the safety measures which could be done?

1. Tampering of the CF cards or switching of the real CF cards with pre-loaded cards. This could be thwarted by a thorough examination and test of the CF cards to be used and sealing them before they are sent to the precincts on election day.

2. Possible use of the spare PCOS machines, as there are extra PCOS machines assigned to each town in case of a malfunction of the regular machines. This could be stopped by making an inventory of the spare PCOS machines and guarding them during election day.

3. Early release and pre-shading of ballots which will then be fed to the PCOS machines on election day. This could be prevented by keeping close watch of the ballots and ensuring that the seals are not broken.

4. Use of jamming devices to block the automatic transmission of the election results as provided by the CF cards. An electronic and technical panelling of the canvassing centers on the night of the tabulation of the results from the barangays.

5. Connivance of the members of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) in the cheating operations. This could be neutralized through the vigilance of our watchers and leaders in the barangay.

There could be other ways to undermine our people’s will and what needs to be done to protect their sacred voice is to be watchful and vigilant all the time.

Vox populi, Vox Dei!