The GIs and the unexplained

THE general instructions (GIs) of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the past automated national and local elections (NLEs) since 2010 were clear procedures on the do's and don'ts. Take for example Comelec Resolution (CRN) 10460, promulgated on Dec. 6, 2018, in connection with the May 13, 2019 NLEs. It provided the rules and general instructions to the electoral boards (EBs) on the use of vote counting machines (VCMs), and on the process of testing and sealing, and voting, counting and transmission of election results.

However, its Sec. 75 states: "Closing of Polls; Counting of Votes and Transmission of Results; Printing of Reports and Shutting Down the VCMs Procedure. – After all the voters have cast their votes...the EB shall close the voting by performing the procedures in the technical manual...." Nothing was mentioned on how the election results would be transmitted! The function of the iButton was also not defined, but it was stated in Sec. 71 regarding its retrieval from the VCM box. On the other hand, the technical manual would have been easily accessible if it were placed as an annex, or a website link could have been cited.