Why did we choose Smartmatic in the first place?

The preparations for the first automated elections in the country have been hounded by controversy and difficulties since they began. And on the 11th hour, a “glitch” is discovered. If you ask any computer programmer worth his salt, he’d probably exclaim, “Why only now!?”

Not about why the “glitch” happened only now, but why it was discovered only now.

Such a “glitch” (calling it such, those concerned are trying to make it sound less disastrous as it is) should have been detected long before. Imagine, a double-spaced list of candidates is threatening to bring down a nationwide undertaking that has cost us billions of pesos? Who’s coordinating all the efforts related to automated elections anyway? Why was there double-spacing in the printing of the ballots when it was not programmed for in the PCOS machine’s method of scanning? To quote former Comelec commissioner Christian Monsod: “Incompetence.”

The ballots were designed according to specification, I would presume (otherwise, how would the printers / designers know how to make them look?). The ballots were event meant to be secure and tamper-proof — precinct-coded and all that. And now a simple case of double-spaced printing…? WTF?!?

Filipino voters are edgy now. There are fears of unrest should there be a failure of elections. But while we should concentrate now on the successful conduct of the polls on 10 May 2010, we should not forget that justice must be brought to bear upon this incompetence in the AES preparations. Those responsible should be held accountable, especially that they have accepted full responsibility. Yes, Smartmatic-TIM, that’s you!