MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has assured lawmakers that the automation of the 2010 elections would not pave the way for cheating, a Comelec official said Tuesday.

The chairman of the Comelec’s Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC), Ferdinand Rafanan, said he told members of the joint congressional oversight committee on suffrage during a meeting on Monday that only firms with “greater track record” in automated elections would be allowed to supply equipment for the 2010 vote.

Comelec Chairman Jose Melo said during the meeting that politicans were worried that local technology companies could interfere with the work of foreign firms that were being eyed to supply the voting and counting equipment.

“Natatakot sila if makialam ang local firm sa technical side, yan ang kaba ng mga politicians [They are afraid if local firms interfere in the technical side. That’s the worry of politicians],” Melo said.

Melo told the lawmakers that the SBAC was ordered to clarify the roles of each partner in the bidder consortium.

As an added security measure, Melo said the smart key, which is used to transmit election results, would be divided between the Comelec, its advisory council, the winning bidder, and the accredited election watchdog group.

This will put to rest suspicions that the transmission of election results would provide a window for cheating since it can be done only when all parties are present with their parts of the smart key, he said.

At least 10 poll technology vendors, mostly foreign firms with local partners expressed intent to bid for the P11.2-billion automation project -- Smartmatic-Total Information Management, Avante International Technology Inc., Syrex Corp.-Scantron, DVS Philippines-Samsung, Indra Systems S.A., Sequoia-Universal Storefront Services Co., All Data International Inc., Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd., AMA Group Holdings Corp.-Election Systems and Software International Inc. and Mega Data Corp., SBAC documents showed.

Bidding will open on April 27, to be followed by a technical evaluation from April 30 to May 8.

The P11.2 billion contract will be awarded no later than May 22.





http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090422-200767/Melo-says-no-to-hacking-of-automation-system





Melo says no to hacking of automation system

By Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 09:51:00 04/22/2009

Filed Under: Hacking, Computing & Information Technology, Eleksyon 2010

MANILA, Philippines—Comelec Chair Jose Melo has rejected the idea of inviting hackers to try to breach the automated elections system and reward those who do so successfully with a cash prize.

Melo said the proposal from Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano for the Commission on Elections to let hackers take a crack at the computerized election software that will be used in the 2010 elections would be illegal under the E-Commerce Act.

“Hacking is punishable by law,” Melo said, noting that the E-Commerce Act does not differentiate illegal from “white-hat” or ethical hacking.

Giving cash prizes to hackers who are able to breach the Comelec’s chosen system would also be a bad idea, the poll chief said.

“It would turn the whole thing into a circus,” Melo said.

He said the Comelec would open the source code—the set of instructions for the system—to the Department of Science and Technology, the National Computer Center and other interested parties who want to ascertain the security of the system.

Melo also noted that no computer system can stand hacker attacks for an indefinite period.

지난 21일 선거관리위원회(Commission of election, comelec)는 투표시스템이 완전 자동화되는
이번 2010년 대선에 기계를 조작하는 등의 부정행위는 일어나지 않을 것이라고 국회를 안심시켰다.
호세 멜로(Hose Melo)선관위 위원장은 "이번 선거자동화 프로젝트에 참여할 국내 기업들이
선거 결과 조작에 관여할 수 있다는 가능성을 정치인들이 염려하고 있다" 라고 전하고
"선관위 입찰 결정부에 투명하고 정직한 기업들만을 이번 프로젝트에 참여시킬 것을 당부했다" 라고
설명했다. 멜로 위원장은 조작방지를 위해 선거결과를 전송하는 스마트 키(smart key)를 선관위와
선관위 자문위원회, 이번 선거 자동화 프로젝트 공개 입찰자, 선거감시단이 각각 나눠 갖게 될 것이라고
공개하고 "이 네 집단이 한자리에 모이지 않는 이상 선거결과를 전송할 수 없게 되기 때문에 결과 조작은
사실상 불가능하다" 라고 밝혔다.
현재 DVS 필리핀-삼성(Philippines Samsung)을 비롯한 10여개 기업이 이번 112억 페소 규모의
선거자동화 프로젝트의 공개입찰에 신청했으며 4월28일에 있을 입찰과 심사를 거쳐 5월22일 전에
최종 입찰 결과가 발표되는 것으로 알려졌다. [인콰이어러]