By Cherry Joy D. Garma
PIA-Ilocos Norte
LAOAG CITY– The transmission of election returns in Ilocos Norte has been delayed indefinitely due to system malfunction of the Consolidation and Canvassing System (CCS).
“The CCS which is contained in the SD (Storing Device) card used to receive consolidated election result from every precinct cannot be opened,” said Julius Balbas, Laoag City Election Officer.
However, Mr. Balbas said that the failure of the system will not affect the election result since the SD card is not the main source of the vote casts.
“The system is the only problem here since automated election is very technical, not the votes or the result, it will not affect the results at all,” he said.
Provincial election supervisor Atty. Marino Salas meanwhile said, there are three towns in this province that have yet to transmit their election results to the Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC).
“The town of Marcos is about to transmit today, while the town of Dingras and Laoag City have the same problem with the CCS,” Salas said May 10.
Mr. Balbas said the local board has already coordinated with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) central office for the contingency plan for the damaged CCS.
“We do not know what caused the damage, but the Comelec central office is set to provide us with a new SD card. We are waiting for its arrival,” said Mr. Balbas.
Mr. Salas said that as soon as the new CCS arrive, canvassing will resume in the province.
Seven vote counting machines (VCM) were reported to have malfunctioned during the election but the Comelec said they immediately addressed the issue and continue with the swift election process.