Random manual audit validates results of Philippine automated polls

The Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Friday the number of votes from the electronic transmission and that from the printed election returns have tallied based on the random manual audit.

"There is no discrepancy on the report of the random manual audit," Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said in press briefing.

The Comelec is auditing the returns from 1,145 precincts to check on the veracity of the automated elections. Poll watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting and the National Statistics Office are helping with the auditing.

As of 12 noon Friday, Comelec Commissioner Lucenito Tagle said the poll body received 86 audit returns, 30 of which were processed. Tagle said logistics, time and lack of authority to the city or municipal treasurers to open the ballot boxes have delayed manual auditing.

But he said the Comelec has already extended an authority to the city or municipal treasurers to open the ballot boxes.

Source:Xinhua