The Commission on Elections welcomes the warnings of various groups concerned with full automation of the 2010 National and Local Elections. “We are very grateful that many groups are coming forward to air their concerns,” COMELEC Spokesman James Jimenez said. “In fact, if you read their statement you will see that they are not against automation per se, but are merely raising warning flags – identifying aspects of the project that are most vulnerable,” Jimenez added.

Jimenez was referring to a warning aired by both the Computer Professionals Union on their website, and the group represented by former COMELEC Chairman Christian Monsod.

The CPU warning, published on the group’s website, cautions that “if not done properly, automated large scale cheating can happen with the COMELEC's plan for automated elections.” The group of Monsod, on the other hand, is advocating automating only the results canvassing process, as opposed to the COMELEC’s plan to automate both counting and canvassing.

While warning of the potential vulnerabilities of the automated election system, Jimenez pointed out that the CPU also categorically stated that it is still possible to create a suitable AES system which the people can trust, but that “it should be reviewed by a large number of independent security experts with knowledge in computer security and cryptography. The source code of the system should be open and available to the public. This will allow all interested and technically-adept individuals and groups to scrutinize the functions of the system. It should have voter-verifiable audit trails for reference.”

“Under Republic Act 9369, it is mandatory for the source code to be opened to review,” Jimenez clarified, “just like the CPU is recommending. There are other recommendations from the group, and I would like to reassure them that most of those recommendations, are already part and parcel of the project.”

“We are inviting interested groups to coordinate with us,” Jimenez said, “regarding their concerns. We welcome the opportunity to work together with them in pursuit of our common goal to ensure clean, honest, and orderly elections in 2010.” ###