National Broadband Network-Zhong Xing Telecommunication Equipment Co. (NBN-ZTE) whistle blower Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada on Wednesday asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to be honest to the Filipino people and tell the truth whether or not they are really ready to fully automate the elections this coming May.

During Wednesday’s Fernandina News Forum at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City, Lozada told reporters that it is high time for the Comelec headed by Chairman Jose T. Melo to tell the truth with regards to their capability of going full blast in fully automating the elections due to the numerous problems it is currently facing.

Lozada, the whistle-blower behind the US$329-million broadband deal with China’s ZTE Corporation, also said he is making the call considering that with only three months left, the Comelec is still in the initial stages of its preparations for the elections.

"Yung election system (for me) is still not in place. Delayed na ang equipment nila at marami pang kailangang gawing preparation. Dahil dito kaya ba ng Comelec na madaos ang isang malinis at kapani-paniwalang election?” Lozada said.

“Iyung election training/education ng ating mga teachers wala pa. Sabi ng Comelec mabuti na late ng turuan sila (teachers) kasi baka makalimutan nila kung paano ang technology kung maturuan sila kagad. Walang teaching mythology na ganyan,” he added.

Lozada said the Comelec needs to be honest to the Filipino people so that it would be prepared just in case problems arise in the holding of the elections.

“Ang katotohanan hindi pa alam ng tao. Dapat mapaghandaan (natin) ang consequences dahil hindi makatotohanan (ang) preparation sa elections,” he said, “We need to be prepared on this kind of scenario.”

The Comelec, it was recalled, will be using GSM network radio signals to transmit the election results from the precinct to other servers on the May 10 elections. GSM network radio signals is the same kind of technology used by cellular mobile phones for calls and SMS.

Lozada, who is an information and technology expert, said that it is quite impossible for the Comelec to transmit election results with the use of this kind of technology considering that only 63 percent of the country has GSM network radio signals.

He said that in order to cover the remaining 37 percent, the poll body needs an additional P3 billion to buy the satellites that will transmit election results. He claimed that there was nothing in the contract between the poll body and Smartmatic that would require them to buy the satellite transmission.

“Ni isang scanned satellite wala nga sila (Comelec) eh. Pagpalagay natin na 37 percent ng 48,000 polling precincts eh walang GSM network radio signals, bale 19,000 precincts ang walang cell phone coverage. Kakailanganin ng Comelec ng additional P3 billion na budget para lang dito. Saan nila kukunin ang pera for this,” Lozada asked.

Lozada also said that another problem to be faced by the Comelec is the possible use of signal-jamming devices to affect the transmission of votes.

“May limitation kasi ang GSM radio network signals. Pwedeng gamitin ito ng may mga masasamang kalooban. From defensive purpose, ginagamit na ito sa offensive. Mag-uumpisa na naman ang pagdududa (in the elections) dahil dito,” he said.

“Kailangan malaman ng taon g bayan ang paghahanda ng Comelec sa election. Kung hindi nila malalaman ang tunay sa kalagayan sa elections, at least you are prepared sa consequences,” he said.