Hontiveros seeks probe into Comelec's AES certification delay

Senator Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel has called for a joint congressional investigation into the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) alleged failure to secure legally mandated certification for the Automated Election System (AES) for the upcoming May 12 national and local elections.

The AES certification, required by Republic Act 8436 as amended by RA 9369, should have been issued by Pro V & V, Inc., an international certification entity, no later than February 12, 2025.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia stated the commission does not control the certification timeline, attributing the delay to the inclusion of a third system, the Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS), and the unbundling of the Secure Electronic Transmission Service.

The Comelec is now expecting the AES certification to be completed within March or April, with the source codes of the AES software to be deposited at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas by March 11.

Despite the delay, the Comelec Project Management Office (PMO) noted that the commission is still in "better standing" than in previous elections as the certification is expected to be completed soon.