“COMELEC is just using the recent shipment of cell phone jammers as an excuse for its lack of readiness for the Automated Elections in 2010,” said Mr. Rick Bahague, the National Coordinator of the Computer Professionals’ Union (CPU).
With time running out, COMELEC has been attempting to find different excuses for its failure to adhere to its schedules as well as for the technical glitches of its contracted partner Smartmatic.
"The COMELEC could still do a thorough site survey for each of the polling places and use frequency scanners to detect possible signal interference due to these jammers. Knowing that this type of possible interference can happen, they should have prepared for contingencies," added Bahague.
"A signal jammer is a consumer device readily available in the market. It is being used in churches and other premises. Even a simple UHF (ultra-high frequency) radio when tuned to the same frequency used by mobile phones can already interfere with the transmission." explained Mr. Bahague.
"The importation of cellphone jammers should not be a problem if COMELEC had prepared for it. They should be the first ones to realize that the powerful elite and existing ruling clique will be using different tricks--including jamming of transmissions-- just to keep themselves in power", said Bahague.
"The importation should not be used an excuse for the COMELEC to distance itself from the possible mess that will happen in May," concluded Bahague.
CPU together with other organizations under the AES Watch have given COMELEC a "WARNING" rating in its preparations for adequate transmission facilities to be used in the 10 May 2010 elections. A "WARNING" rating means COMELEC is running out of time to finish the said activity without compromising the reliability of the Automated Election System (AES).
COMELEC’s inadequacies include lacking efforts in educating the Filipino people on the AES. CPU has been conducting a voter's education campaign over Luzon and the Visayas through its VoteReportPH.Org project. Over 600 voters who attended voter education for a last week at Maasin City, Leyte and Jimalalud, Negros Oriental conveyed it was their first time to listen and know about the AES.
AES Watch is a group of organizations critically looking at the implementation of the AES. The group has given COMELEC an overall rating of "DANGER" on its preparedness and readiness.
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