MANILA, Philippines — A glitch with the transparency server of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has caused the delay in the release of partial election results, an official from the poll body said Monday. In an interview with INQUIRER.net, Comelec Commissioner Marlon Casquejo said the problem was detected in the creation of data packets coming from the transparency server of the poll body. ADVERTISEMENT “May (There is an) issue on the creation of data packets coming from the transparency server,” he said. He clarified, however, that the Comelec continues to receive data from clustered precincts nationwide, but the results cannot be published in real time to those receiving information from the transparency server, including media outfits accredited by the agency. Casquejo also assured that the technical glitch should not cause fear among voters because the Comelec continues to receive the votes. He also said that the glitch could only be resolved if the Comelec en banc issues a resolution. As of posting time, Casquejo confirmed that the en banc has already given a go signal for the probe. “May approval na ng en banc and they are now investigating the possible glitches (The en banc has approved the probe, and they are now investigating the possible glitches),” he said. — With a report from Pathricia Ann V. Roxas (Editor: Eden Estopace) Read Next<doc-sep>MANILA, Philippines — After seven hours, the Commission on Elections transparency server updated its transparency server to reflect the vote counts for the 2019 national elections. The poll body earlier admitted that a technical issue slowed down the transmission of the partial unofficial count to media partners. Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez stressed, though, that the server itself was receiving data. The initial results, which were in the tens of thousands, were released at 6:15 p.m. The Comelec released its second update at 1:19 a.m. showing votes in the millions. The Comelec's transparency server has resumed releasing election results to media, watchdogs. Full story in a bit, but here's a link for live updates on the midterm elections: https://t.co/9IvuGDuaQI pic.twitter.com/ggsO11jESk — Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) May 13, 2019 Sen. Cynthia Villar maintained her lead in the senatorial race followed by Sen. Grace Poe, former presidential aide Bong Go and Rep. Pia Cayetano (Taguig City). Completing the "Magic 12" so far are former Philippine National Police chief Bato dela Rosa, Sen. Sonny Angara, former Sen. Lito Lapid, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos., former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino, Sen. Nancy Binay, Sen. Koko Pimentel and former Sen. Bong Revilla. A majority of in the top 12 in the latest results are allied with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte's Hugpong ng Pagbabago coalition except for Poe, who ran as an independent, and Binay, who ran under the United Nationalist Alliance. In the latest update, Pimentel rose to the 11th spot from the 13th place. Sen. JV Ejercito, meanwhile, dropped to the 13th place after placing 12th in the 6:15 p.m. partial unofficial results. Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu (Maguindanao) of the administration PDP-Laban party and singer Freddie Aguilar, both of whom President Rodrigo Duterte endorsed, did not make it to the top 12. Jimenez earlier explained that there was an issue with sending the data from the transparency server to media computers linked to it, causing the delay in the released of the results. He clarified that there was no problem with the transparency server itself. — Patricia Lourdes Viray<doc-sep>MANILA, Philippines— Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez on Monday said the 2019 midterm elections was generally successful despite glitches encountered. Jimenez described the 2019 polls as a “mixed bag”, admitting that “there seem to be a lot of problems” encountered during the conduct of the polls. "We think it's generally successful. However, there are some issues, there are some problems that we are addressing as they are happening and I think that's the important takeaway here,” Jimenez told the reporters in a press briefing. “These elections might be a little problematic because of all the glitches that we are encountering but we are resolving those issues and that I think is the main thing,” he added. 'So far, we have not met an unsolvable problem' Jimenez stressed the importance of how the problems encountered are being solved. “So far, we have not met an unsolvable problem which means that everything is happening normally,” Jimenez said. “It is not happening perfectly but it is happening within the range of expectations. Kabahan tayo ‘pag may problema tapos ‘di nasosolusyonan, (Let’s worry if there is an unsolvable problem)” he added. Among the problems encountered during the polls were 1,000 SD cards equivalent to 450 to 600 vote counting machines malfunctioned. This caused delay in some of the polling precincts. Media updates from the Comelec's transparency server also bogged down early Monday evening, with Jimenez saying pas midnight Tuesday that although the server was receiving election data, there was a problem with sending those updates to media computers linked to the server. READ: 4th automated polls: 220% more VCMs malfunctioning than in 2016 Jimenez said there are 85,000 VCMs working nationwide but they have a back-up of 10,000 more for its contingency plan. Only 6.8% of precincts closed on time at 6 p.m. Although the Comelec official said this is not a “problem-free” election, he said the poll body has to understand the problems encountered more fully in order to be ready in the next elections.<doc-sep>
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) admitted that a technical issue slowed down the partial unofficial count on the results of the 2019 national elections. The STAR quotes Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez as saying the Comelec's transprency server, which is also supposed to send the election data to media partners, is working and has received 80% of polling results. He said the problem is not with transmission to the server, but in sending the data from the transparency server to media computers linked to it. The Comelec transparency server released partial unofficial results at around 6:15 p.m., which showed 0.38% of the results at the national level. It has not issued an update as of writing time. The transparency server was supposed to send unofficial vote counts to media groups and watchdogs in intervals of 10 to 15 minutes. As of 11:09 p.m., the Comelec website indicated that 86.69% of election returns have been transmitted to the poll body. Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez says the problem is not with the transmission but with the sending of the data from the transparency server to the media partners, PPCRV. The data stored in the transparency server has reached 80 percent. | @EZMacairan pic.twitter.com/FsDVfCDtDX — The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) May 13, 2019 Voting closed at 6 p.m. in most parts of the country after opening at 6 a.m. The vote counting machines were expected to transmit the vote counts to the transparency server and to the centrel server of the Comelec after polls close. Makabayan bloc seeks explanation Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc called on the poll body to explain the lack of quick count updates on its transparency server. Rep. Sarah Elago (Kabataan Party-list) pointed out that in the two previous elections, the results were released real time. "Di tulad ng 2013, 2016 [elections] na halos real-time ito. 71% na ngayon ang nabato sa main server pero 0.38% pa lang ang nasa transparency server," Elago tweeted at 8:58 p.m. Rep. Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers Party-list) shared the same sentiments, pointing out that the Comelec provided almost real time updates in the 2013 and 2016 automated elections. "One of the touted benefits of automation is supposed to be the quick and transparent counting of votes. This is beginning to feel like a throwback to the pre-automation era," Tinio said on Facebook.