‘Defective’ VCMs in Bataan undergo final testing, sealing

SAMAL, Bataan — The Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) in a polling precinct here on Saturday afternoon conducted the final testing and sealing of a vote counting machine (VCM) that malfunctioned in a test last week.

The machine was one of 10 VCMs in Bataan that underwent final testing and sealing (FTS) two days before Monday’s elections.

The 10 VCMs turned out to have defective secure digital (SD) cards that needed replacements.

“Ginagawa ang FTS para masigurado na okay ang machine at talagang gumagana at reliable ang makukuhang boto (The FTS is being done to ensure that the machine is okay and indeed functioning and the vote is reliable),” a BEI member at the Lalawigan Elementary School in Samal explained.

After diagnostic result showed that the machine was acceptable and that the memory card had no vote content, filing-up of test ballots followed.

“Your ballot is being processed”, “Your vote is being cast”, “Your vote is being printed” and “Thank you for voting” appeared on the VCM after every ballot was inserted in the machine.

With the final testing and sealing of the machine, all three VCMs in three clustered precincts in the Lalawigan Elementary School are ready for voting.

The test was witnessed by watchers of some local candidates, a representative from the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), and municipal election officer Rosanna Cruz.

Cruz said it is now all systems go for Monday’s voting in the agricultural town of Samal that has 34 clustered precincts of 26,423 registered voters.

Hotly contested is the mayoral seat between provincial Board Member Rolando Tigas and Vice Mayor Aida Macalinao.

Bataan has 695 clustered precincts to be served by 695 primary or principal VCMs with additional 73 units for contingency, the office of the provincial election supervisor said.

Of this number of VCMs, only 10 from different clustered precincts did not pass the test last week and had to be tested again Saturday.