Comelec confirms storage of election devices in Davao

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) confirmed on Saturday that transmission devices are being stored at a hub in Davao City. This came after online reports by several media organizations said Starlink satellite transmission devices and solar panels were delivered and installed in a house in Barangay Buhangin, Davao City.

The Davao City Police Office confirmed that the equipment was part of the transmission devices provided by Comelec’s transmission service provider, iOne Resources Joint Venture with Ardent Networks Inc. (iOne V).

The equipment was taken from the poll body’s warehouse and is part of the commission’s deployment services.

The Comelec said iOne JV confirmed the area is one of their staging hubs, where equipment is temporarily stored before being delivered to the Offices of the Election Officers (OEO) in nearby towns, cities and throughout the province.

However, iOne JV clarified that the installation is only temporary because on 15 April it will be installed in voting and canvassing centers throughout the Davao Region based on the schedule of deployment and installation for the upcoming polls.

“The Comelec holds a list of all temporary staging hubs and storage areas of iOne JV and the location in Barangay Buhangin, Davao City, is in accordance with it,” the poll body said.

The Field Operations and Transmission Groups of the Comelec Project Management Office also confirmed that this was indeed part of the deployment of the said project, and based on the submitted list, it is only 10 sets of Starlink devices, solar panels and batteries.

Under the contract for the Procurement of Secure Electronic Transmission Services (AES) for the 2025 NLE Election Results between Comelec and iOne JV, the latter is responsible for deploying and installing these devices in the voting and canvassing centers that require them.

These duties remain solely with iOne IV, and “it is their obligation, through whatever means is most efficient, to forward deploy such equipment, including the decision whether to temporarily store it in a staging area near the OEOs and to proceed, prior to the election, to the Voting and Canvassing Centers.”

The Comelec said it found no irregularity in the incident.

The poll body clarified that the Starlink devices and solar panels are solely for transmission purposes. They are not involved in the machines or programs used for reading ballots or counting votes, and will only be used to transmit election returns and certificates of canvass.

“This is no election program or software that will affect the use of the Automated Counting Machines and Consolidation and Canvassing Systems, as well as the entire Election Management System,” the Comelec assured.

The Comelec said it found no irregularity in the incident.

However, for added security and transparency, the Field Operations Group led by Deputy Executive Director Rafael B. Olaño has ordered iOne JV to remove the Starlink devices and solar panels from their current location in Davao City and bring them directly to the respective OEOs, under the supervision of Comelec employees and the Philippine National Police.

Upon completion of their placement in the Comelec offices, they will be inventoried and a report will be prepared.

Per the order, while the transfer has not been implemented, the PNP will continue to monitor the equipment and its location and election officers and provincial election supervisors will conduct a comprehensive audit of all equipment and make public its deployment status in accordance with Comelec policy.

Lastly, all election officers and provincial election supervisors nationwide are directed to inspect all hubs, warehouses, and storage areas of iOne located in their jurisdictions, and strictly implement audit and security protocols.