PHILIPPINES: INDEPENDENT AUDIT OF AUTOMATED POLLS URGED
Alexander Martin Remollino

Quezon City -- A group advocating political and socio-economic reforms has called for an independent audit of the May 10 elections, the first automated elections in the Philippines' history.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) had declared the May 10 elections a success, even as it acknowledged the numerous problems that had arisen during election day.

"I'm smiling again," Comelec chairman Jose Melo told reporters in a press conference on Monday. "It was successful. I will add the 'very' part later."

But the Pagbabago! People's Movement for Change has disputed Melo's assessment, citing the Comelec's own admission that there are discrepancies between the electronic election returns and their printed versions. The discrepancies affect some 150,000 voters from 196 precincts in different provinces... READ FULL ARTICLE