The much-awaited official canvassing of votes for the presidential and vice presidential races was expected to officially start either late Thursday or Friday after all controversies concerning the conduct of the first automated elections in the country shall have been clarified before the joint committee of Congress.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said there is a big possibility that the issues raised by various parties will be tackled during Thursday’s session.

This developed as elected Caloocan City Vice Mayor Edgar Erice said the camp of vice presidential bet Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II will do everything legal to protect the interest of the electorate who believed that the Liberal Party stalwart is the best candidate for the position.

Erice said they have complete trust and confidence on the joint committee.

Enrile said the 18-member joint panel is ready to finish all discussions on poll automation issues and other canvassing issues Thursday.

“I cannot say everything will be clarified tomorrow, we do not limit ourselves here. Maybe (we can start) on Friday kasi malawak ang ginawa namin diskusyon ngayon at nagsimula kami alas dos, natapos ngayon lang pasado alas 8,” Enrile told reporters after Wednesday’s adjournment of the committee proceedings. (“Maybe on Friday because there was a comprehensive discussion today, we started at 2 (pm) and finished past 8.”)

However, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri aired confidence that answers to the questions raised by lawmakers on voting procedures and actual counting of votes will be submitted by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and poll automation contractor Smartmatic-TIM in Thursday’s session.

“I am confident canvassing will be started today,” Zubiri said.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Jose Melo welcomed the prolonged discussion on many controversies surrounding the automated polls, including discrepancies in the data output of the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines used for the first time in Philippine elections.

Melo treated the “serious” discrepancy in the computer generated number of registered voters to the actual number as an issue that could be readily explained by Smartmatic-TIM.

Melo said that when the Senate votes were canvassed the variance in the number of registered voters and dates of voting reflected the actual data.

The House-Senate panel gave Comelec and Smartmatic-TIM until yesterday to submit their explanation on the many controversies that were raised by candidates and other information technology experts during the Wednesday session.

Prof. Edmundo G. Casino of the Philippine Computer Society testified Wednesday that the system used is not foolproof against possible fraud.

He pointed out that the initialization of the machine and the entry of digital signature by the chairman of the board election inspector is like signing a “blank check”.

“In effect, the entire integrity and reliability of the automation system used in the last election depended on the trustworthiness of and care of the Smartmatic people,” Casino said.

He added: “It is beyond the control of the Comelec, beyond the control of anybody except Smartmatic.”