Policy
institute asks poll body to reveal automated election source code
The
Philippines’ Commission on Elections (Comelec) has been asked
to require the winning foreign bidder in the 2010 automated elections
to make public its source code for the Precinct Count Optical Scan
– Optical Mark Reader (PCOS-OMR) system.
In
a letter addressed to Comelec Chair Jose Melo, the Center for People
Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG), asked the poll body a copy of
the source code of the PCOS programs, as well as the BOC CCS programs
for the municipal, provincial, national, and congressional canvass,
the Comelec server programs, and the source code of the in-house
Comelec programs called the DCS utilities.
“We
are making this request not only as an interested party in source
code review, as provided for by RA 9369, but in the exercise of
our right to access to public information,” read the letter
signed by CenPEG board chair Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera and its executive
staff. It was co-signed by Dr. Pablo Manalastas, a faculty of the
Ateneo and UP computer science departments, and Prof. Vickie Avena
of the UP college of law.
The
CenPEG letter was read at a media forum sponsored by the Catholic
Media Network and CBCP News of the Catholic Bishops Conference of
the Philippines (CBCP) in Intramuros, Manila on May 26. It was received
for transmission to the Comelec by its information and education
director, James Jimenez.
CenPEG
cited a provision of Republic Act 9369 on the amended Automated
Election System which provides, "Once an AES technology is
selected for implementation, the Commission shall promptly make
the source code of that technology available and open to any interested
political party or groups which may conduct their own review thereof."
Source
code review takes time, CenPEG said. This is why the release “should
be done fast and without delay.” Since the law and the Request
for Proposal (Terms of Reference) only provides its release to interested
parties, CenPEG also asked Congress to legislate “for its
full and unconditional release to the public, where everybody can
review it as an increasing number of countries are now doing.”
In
the same media forum, a panel from the Transparentelections.org.ph
through Maricor Akol held a demonstration of the source code of
its open election management system (OEMS). The source code has
been posted on the internet for public scrutiny.
Please
refer to the pdf attachment copy of the CenPEG letter.
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Media
Forum on the automated polls sponsored by the CBCP, from right:
Dr. Pablo Manalastas, Ateneo and UP computer professor; Bobby
Tuazon of CenPEG, UP law professor and former PCGG Commissioner
Vickie Avena, and Comelec's James Jimenez. CenPEG Photos 