Comelec begins random manual audit of midterm polls

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday began the random manual audit (RMA) for the national and local elections.

The poll body will audit ballots from 726 randomly selected clustered precincts and one voting post. Twenty-seven ballot boxes underwent the random manual audit on Wednesday.

At least 60 auditing teams from the Department of Education will check the performance of the automated counting machines (ACMs) and examine the ballots from the randomly selected clustered precincts to validate their accuracy during the law-mandated RMA.

The teams comprise teachers who did not serve as electoral board members for the May 12 elections.

Verifiers from the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and the National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) were also present.

The Comelec earlier said the RMA is conducted after every election as a measure to maintain the integrity and transparency of the polls.

It will be held at the Citadines Bay City Hotel in Pasay and is slated to last up to 45 days.

Section 29 of the Automated Election System (AES) Act states that “there shall be a random manual audit in one precinct per congressional district randomly chosen by the Commission in each province and city” where the automated election system is used.

Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said the RMA maintained a 99.9 percent accuracy rate since the 2010 automated elections.