Operations of vote-counting machines will not be affected should there be a power failure
CLAIM: Vote-counting machines have backup batteries in case of power interruptions.
RATING: Accurate
Facebook user Jean Paolo Martin De Guzman on May 5 said power interruptions won’t affect the operations of vote-counting machines (VCMs) as these are equipped with their own backup batteries.
De Guzman made the post to counter claims of pro-Marcos Facebook users and pages that presidential aspirant and Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo would only win if there were massive power outages throughout the country.
“[M]ay sariling BACK UP BATTERY ang VCM Or Vote Counting Machine kaya kahit aksidente or sadyang mabunot ang plug ay hindi ito makaka apekto sa operasyon ng pag boto. Kaya imposible ang sinasabi nyong dayaan kapag nag brownout,” De Guzman said in his Facebook post.
“Alam ko to, dahil kasama ako sa mga nagwitness ng pag operate ng vcm for mock elections. ngayon, kung di pa din kayo naniniwala, kakaibang sakit na yan,” he added.
The argument that Robredo won the vice presidency over Marcos in 2016 due to cheating is propaganda from the Marcos camp. In his campaign sorties, the late dictator’s son claimed without basis that cheating happened late at night when people weren’t paying attention to the vote transmission.
In fact, after a recount sought by Marcos in three pilot areas, Robredo’s lead expanded to 278,566 from 263,473. Last year, the Supreme Court threw out Marcos’s electoral protest in a unanimous vote.
Comelec Commissioner George Garcia has assured the public that the VCMs would have backup batteries that would last for 18 hours should there be a power interruption.
“Don’t fret, we don’t have a problem with our backup batteries for our VCMs. The battery life of each VCM is 18 hours. For sure, the teachers will charge them before election day,” Garcia said during a press briefing last March 31.
Moreover, the Comelec also released Resolution No. 10759, which instructs electoral boards (EB) on the contingency procedure should a power failure occur during the elections.
While VCMs are completely dependent on electricity to process ballots, the timely transmittal of information or votes is reliant on continuous power.
Garcia also said the poll body had borrowed 1,000 generator sets from the Department of Energy.
The energy department had guaranteed that there won’t be blackouts until the third week of May, Garcia said.
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