DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 6 May) — The Archdiocesan Commission on Elections Monitoring Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (ACE-COM PPCRV) reported that the automated counting machines (ACMs) tested on Tuesday were “generally working” properly but appeared inconsistent when incorrect marking patterns were used. MindaNews observed the testing at Davao City National High School (DCNHS), where ACE-PPCRV spokesperson Aileen Lizada noted that the seven ACMs were functioning correctly for the May 12 midterm polls, provided voters properly shaded the circles beside candidates’ names. However, Lizada experimented with various marking patterns, such as checks, Xs, dots, and lines, to test the ACMs’ responses. In one case, a ballot with 14 marked names in the senatorial section (only 12 allowed) resulted in only 11 votes counted. Another ballot with 13 marks was declared invalid as an overvote. Lizada also found inconsistencies when shading extended beyond the intended circle, with some ACMs not counting the vote while others flagged it as an overvote. She emphasized the need for voters to shade circles correctly to ensure accurate counting and urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to address the inconsistencies. Comelec Davao Region spokesperson Gay Enumerables expressed surprise at the experiments, stressing that proper shading would prevent overvoting. She advised voters to fully shade the circles of their chosen candidates to avoid issues. The ACMs tested at DCNHS will be used for Barangay 10-A and 11-B voters, though two machines had mismatched serial numbers with their ballot boxes. Enumerables assured that this would not affect vote counting, as ballots are assigned to specific ACMs. Evelyn Magno, DepEd election supervising officer and DCNHS principal, confirmed readiness for the elections. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)
