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Comelec Is Ready To Present Stands On Voting Receipts Before Supreme Court On Thursday
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is ready to present its positions before the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday against the issuance of receipts to voters after casting their votes in the May 9 polls.
In an interview, Comelec Chairman Juan Andres Bautista said that the commission would be bringing in two vote count machines (VCMs) at the High Court during the scheduled oral arguments on March 17 at 10 a.m.
“We will bring two VCMs…It’s included in our motion (for reconsideration) if ever the magistrates want to see the machines. There’s one machine that is configured the onscreen verification and the other one with onscreen plus the receipt,” he explained.
The poll body chief noted that he and Commissioner Christian Robert Lim would also be there to answer questions with their counsel, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG).
“Ang aming abogado ay ang OSG…we’ll be one presenting the case although I and Senior Commissioner Lim, as the head of the steering committee, will be there to answer questions,” he said.
Bautista added, “Ang ibibigay namin bukas ay ‘yung timeline. ‘Yun nga ang pinagmeetingan namin ngayon kasi sabi ko kailangan talagang ipaliwanag mabuti ‘yan with every detail. Tapos nandoon ‘yung mga assumptions and risks.”
He said that they would try to convince the High Court about their reasons regarding the issuance of the vote receipts.
“Ipapakita natin na ang activities na kailangan maganap at meron kami timelines para sa activities na ito…makikita na may sequence e. Kunwari hindi ka pwede magPre-Election Logical Accuracy Test (PreLAT) until matapos ‘yung trusted build…” he explained.
On Tuesday, the SC ordered the oral arguments on the petition filed by former Senator Richard Gordon asking to order the Comelec to issue the vote receipts.
Last week, the High Tribunal has ordered the activation of the printing of vote receipts of the vote count machines (VCMs) to be utilized in the May polls. (PNA) RMA/FGP/EDS
