The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has approved the recommendation of its Executive Director Jose M. Tolentino Jr. to release the source code of the automated election system (AES) to be used in the May 10, 2010 presidential, congressional, local and party-list elections.

The Comelec en banc, led by Chairman Jose A.R. Melo approved minute Resolution No. 09-0366 approving the release of the source code in response to the request contained in the letter of the Center for People Empowerment (CenPEG).

The source code, as explained by Comelec IT consultant Prof. Renato Garcia of Ateneo de Manila University, is a set of instructions imbedded in every Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machine.

Garcia earlier exposed that a group of frustrated computer academicians, calling themselves advocates of Open Election System, has launched a concerted effort to discredit the 2010 national elections under Republic Act 9369, the Automated Election Law.

“This group has peddled lies about automation especially on the highly technical matter, the source code,” Garcia said.

Comelec Law Department Director Ferdinand T. Rafanan who was the chairman of the Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) that recommended the awarding of the poll automation contract to Smatmatic TIM Corp. which offered a bid P7.2 billion, told CenPEG that the source code being requested has not yet been received.

“This should not come as a surprise to you since you are well aware that no payment has been made to the provider (Smartmatic TIM Corp.) as of this date, in deference to the Supreme Court which has yet to act on the petition filed before it seeking to withhold payment on the poll automation contract,” Rafanan said.

Rafanan added that the customization of the baseline source code is currently targeted for completion in November 2009.