PRESS RELEASE

Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG)

May 14, 2010

CenPEG to Comelec:
Stop destroying faulty CF cards
The Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) is asking
the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to stop destroying the
controversial compact flash (CF) cards that malfunctioned during the May 3
final and testing (FTS) procedure done in many voting areas in the country.

Speaking through IT consultant Lito Averia, CenPEG said “The destruction

of the remaining CF cards should be stopped and a review of their contents
be done by an independent group of experts to determine the cause of the
May 3 FTS errors.”

The destruction of the CF cards was revealed by Comelec spokesperson

James Jimenez in a TV phone interview May 13. He said Comelec fears that
the CF cards might fall into the wrong hands.

Following the May 3 failed FTS exercises the Comelec issued a recall of all
CF cards for reconfiguration. However, there were reports that election
results were transmitted from some de-commissioned CF cards on election
day or thereafter.

But Bobby Tuazon, CenPEG director for policy studies, said “Comelec just
doesn't have the right to destroy valuable items (CFCs) needed for auditing
and examination of the poll automation conduct by their representatives,
independent poll watch dogs, and other advocacy groups.”

The poll body “cannot just tamper with legal procedures and evidences
needed to audit the automated election system (AES) and as evidence
when election protests are filed. The country's millions of voters have a
high stake in the election and wanted the process to be fair, transparent,
and judicious,” Tuazon added.

Averia, an IT security expert, cautions Comelec to safeguard the CF cards

to resolve issues. The rules of chain of custody should be issued by the
Comelec immediately, he added.

“Comelec should now come up with procedural controls to avoid the same
errors from recurring should the same automated election system (AES)
technology be used for future elections,” said Averia.

CenPEG believes that by destroying the CF cards, Comelec will be

demolishing a fundamental body of evidence that will shed light on many
anomalies surrounding the flawed AES implemented on May 10.
Sec. 27 of Republic Act 9369 (Amended AES Law) provides for a review and
assessment of the AES technology used, but this review will be imperiled
by the destruction of the CF cards among other Comelec election
paraphernalia, said Averia.

Noting the number of electoral complaints reported, Comelec now has to

assure the public there are no programs that are designed to cheat or
manipulate the vote counts, stressed Averia.

Preserving the CF cards would also dispel reports that election results
generated during the final sealing and testing (FTS) activities prior to the
polls on May 10, 2010 were transmitted following the close of the May 10
polls, instead of the official election reports of the actual polls.

Averia said preserving the CF cards would also resolve claims of many
candidates that the election returns generated on May 10 were faulty and
spurious.

He also cautioned against implementing Comelec Resolution No. 8914, in

which the Comelec en banc ordered that the CCS laptops from which the
FTS reports were transmitted be brought to Manila for the Comelec to
rectify the errors. The said FTS reports are to be deleted.

The deletion of the said FTS reports should be stopped and the CCS
laptops be reviewed by an independent group of experts to determine why
the FTS reports were retained in the CCS laptop storage.

Preserving the FTS is also a way to assure the public and interested
political parties and groups that the FTS reports were indeed not meant to
be transmitted.

For more information, contact:

Ms. AJ Tolentino
CenPEG Media Research
TelFax +9299526 or +4344200
Mobile Phone 0915 5132483