Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Kaxandra Salonga

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17803006943151780273570150359 (7).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday said it is conducting hardware testing on 6,500 voting machines ahead of the Sept. 14, 2026 Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections<em>. 📷༘ Comelec </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday said it is conducting hardware testing on 6,500 voting machines ahead of the Sept. 14, 2026 Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections.</p><p>Comelec chairman George Garcia said the voting machines are undergoing “hardware acceptance tests” to ensure defective units are immediately identified, rejected, and replaced.</p><p>“Gusto natin tingnan lahat ng parte ng makina kung gumagana bago natin ito officially na tatanggapin… kung hindi, kaagad natin itong nire-reject upang mapalitan ng ating provider,” he said.</p><p>Garcia said the agency is also planning simulation exercises and certification, including technical evaluation and logic and accuracy testing, before final approval of the system.</p><p>He also said the agency is proposing to increase the vote detection threshold of machines from 15 percent to 25 percent in order to eliminate concerns over ballot mark recognition.</p><p>“Magmula sa 15 percent, gusto namin itong gawing 25 percent… para wala nang alingasngas,” he said.</p><p>Garcia said contingency systems are also being reinforced, including repair hubs in every province and at least 10 backup machines per municipality.</p><p>Of the 6,500 machines set for delivery, more than 1,000 will serve as reserve units to prevent disruptions in precincts.</p><p>On election violence concerns, Garcia said the agency is assessing how election-related violence is classified, noting recurring discrepancies with police reports.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>SUBPOENAS ISSUED VS CAMPAIGN DONORS</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile Garcia confirmed that subpoenas have been issued against several campaign contributors as part of an ongoing preliminary investigation into alleged election law violations.</p><p>The poll body earlier cleared Senator Rodante Marcoleta of election offenses, but it ordered the Law Department to conduct a preliminary investigation against his alleged 2025 campaign donors, including former lawmaker Mike Defensor, and businessmen Joseph Varias Espiritu and Aristotle Baluyut Viray.</p><p>As the Office of the Ombudsman conducts its separate investigation into the matter, the anti-graft court issued a precautionary travel ban against Marcoleta, Defensor, Viray, and Espiritu.</p><p>The Ombudsman earlier said it is preparing a plunder case against the personalities.</p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ji2LIBjwYQQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Comelec chairman George Garcia said the voting machines are undergoing “hardware acceptance tests” to ensure defective units are immediately identified, rejected, and replaced.</p>

Comelec chairman George Garcia said the voting machines are undergoing “hardware acceptance tests” to ensure defective units are immediately identified, rejected, and replaced.

Comelec tests 6,500 voting machines ahead of Bangsamoro polls

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Comelec tests 6,500 voting machines ahead of Bangsamoro polls

Kaxandra Salonga,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 01, 2026 03:37 PM PHT

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Updated June 01, 2026 03:58 PM PHT

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Bangsamoro

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