What is AES Watch

8/14/2019 What is AES Watch

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aeswatch 2010

AES Wa tch

Secretariat: University of thePhilippines Alumni Association(UPAA), Ang Bahay ng Alumni,Magsaysay Ave., University of thePhilippines, Diliman, Quezon CityTelefax: 929-9526;Telephone: 920-6868; Fax: 929-

8327;Email: [email protected]

The AES Watch is an inde-p e n d e n t , v o lun t a r y ,proactive, and nationwidenetworking of citizensgroups and individualvolunteers promoting

clean elections and ensur-ing that the May 2010 elec-tions push through eitherautomated or manual with proper safeguardsand remedies in placetowards achieving a peace-ful, transparent andcredible exercise.

The AES Watch was ini-tially formed in mid-October 2009 from a group

of more than 200 signato-ries individuals and or-ganizations to the JointAppeal for the Release ofthe Source Code initiatedby CenPEG , NASSA-CBCP, AMRSP, NCCP,

Solidarity Philippines,CCM, Ecumenical BishopsForum (EBF), and UPAA.With the Comelec re-maining unresponsive tothe appeal, the initial con-

veners vowed to continueengaging in activitiesaimed at increasing criticalawareness of the AESamong the public and me-dia. They saw the need tocounteract the negativesuggestion that criticalstudies about the AES andthe Comelec preparationsare equivalent to promot-ing backward, manualelection system or to sid-ing with cheaters andbeing doomsayers.

Moreover, the convenersagreed that being criticalmeans being active partici-

pants in helping ensure thesuccess of the AES and theMay 2010 elections whileengaging the Comelec top u r s u e p r o p e rpreparations. Lastly, theconveners also agreed thatit is important to engage

the public the key stake-holders especially in rais-ing their level ofa w a r e n e s s a n dparticipation in the crucialforthcoming elections.

What is AES Watch?

How was AES Watch formed?

The coming May 2010

national and local elec-

tions are crucial. A new

President will be chosen,

together with other na-

tional and local officials,

with close to 50 million

people expected to vote.

For the first time, the

synchronized elections

will be automated using

technology outsourced to

a f o r e i g n - b a c k e d

consortium. Time is run-

ning out but the Comelec

has yet to make a con-

vincing case that it is

ready to implement a

trustworthy automated

election system (AES).

Preparations for full auto-

mation are replete with

uncertainties (e.g., timely

delivery by supplier of

voting machines, nation-

wide availability of

electronic transmission

facilities, etc.). The

Comelec has already re-

vised the AES implemen-

aeswatch 2010

aesWatch Conveners

shared concern:

TRANSPARENT AND CREDIBLE

ELECTIONS

...includes University of the Philippines AlumniAssociation (UPAA), Center for People Empower-ment in Governance (CenPEG), National Secre-tariat for Social Action-Catholic Bishops Confer-ence of the Philippines (CBCP), Bishop BroderickPabillo and Bishop Deogracias Yniguez of theCommission on Public Affairs of the CBCP, Centerfor People Empowerment in Governance(CenPEG), Ecumenical Bishops Forum, NationalCouncil of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), Dr.Rachel Roxas, dean of the De La Salle Univer-sity- College of Computer Studies (DLSU-CCS),Dr. Reena Estuar, chair of the Ateneo de ManilaUniversity- Department of Information Communi-cations System, Dr. Jaime Caro, chair of the UPDepartment of Computer Science, CAUCUS-Philippine Computer Society, Association of MajorReligious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP),Computer Professionals Union, Solidarity Philip-

pines, Philippine Computer Emergency ResponseTeam (PhCERT), National Union of Students inthe Philippines (NUSP), Engr. Rodolfo Lozada,Dilaab-Hearts Foundation, Senior Catholic Citi-zens Organization, Coordinating Council forPeoples Development and Governance (CPDG),Health Alliance for Democracy, (HEAD), Trans-parentElections.org, Concerned Citizens Move-ment (CCM), Association of Schools of Public

Administrators in the Philippines (ASPAP),Transparency International-Philippines, Pagba-bago (Movement for Social Change), Council forHealth and Development (CHD), Move-ment for Good Governance (MGG), Alyansa

Agrikultura, and others.


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cies faced by the AES, many

concerned citizens and advocacy

groups have taken separate initia-

tives to en-

gage the

C o m e l e c .

Individually,

they haveshared criti-

cal findings

of studies on

the AES,

called and lobbied for safeguards

and remedies, and/or

offered alternative systems, with

the common aim of getting the

needed remedial or corrective

measures instituted, but to no avail.

Some have also asked the Comelec

to be forthright in disclosing the

true state of its preparedness for

the AES. Already, reports from the

ground show that most likely

elections cannot be fully-automated

and that manual voting will still

take place in many parts of the

country.

Under the cir-

c u m s t a n c e s ,

there is a needto organize a

more vigilant

and broader

coalition of citi-

zens groups and

individual volunteers critically look-

ing at the AES preparations, so as

to have stronger voice through uni-

fied action and public support, in

engaging the Comelec. The Come-

lec must institute the necessary

measures, including appropriate

contingency plans, to ensure

peaceful, clean, and credible elec-tions come May 2010.

tation timetable six times to accom-

modate delays and constant

changes in schedules.

Studies by advocacy groups have

found the AES to suffer from techni-

cal vulnerabilities such as those

related to verifiability of voting re-sults, security of electronic trans-

mission, etc. Safeguards against

these vulnerabilities must be put in

place to deter internal rigging, but

the plans of Comelec in this regard

remain unclear. The possibility of

electronic fraud, if not satisfactorily

addressed, is a serious concern as

cheating machineries are getting

honed while majority of the Filipino

voters have yet to fully comprehend

the workings of the AES and their

implications on voters rights. Apprehensive about the contingen-

Who are the members of AES Watch?

AESWATCH 2010

...there is a need to organize a more

vigilant and broader coalition of citizens

groups and individual volunteers

critically looking at the AES preparations,

so as to have stronger voice through

unified action and public support

The AES Watch, as formed, is

multi-sectoral. It welcomes the par-

ticipation of groups and individuals

from key sectors who subscribe to

clean and transparent elections and

are keen to be involved in monitor-

ing the preparations for and con-

duct of the AES. The AES Watch is

open to the ecumenical community,

human rights groups, lawyers, aca-

demics and youth-students, various

professionals most especially IT

practitioners, business, media, and

other basic sectors working in the

grassroots communities.

The AES Watch will liaise with poll-accredited groups like PPCRV, as

well as with NAMFREL and other

national and international observ-

ers missions that will be deployed

during the elections. Networking

will extend to political parties and

other cause-oriented organizations

that promote transparent and credi-

ble elections.

What is its advocacy?

The AES Watch will engage theComelec on issues related to thereadiness and trustworthiness of theAES. It will

1. Urge Comelec to defining the pa-rameters of its readiness for the auto-mated elections, hybrid or partialautomation, and/or manual electionsin the country: How many will befully automated? How many will go

partial? How many will go manual?2. Propose appropriate mechanismsand actions for, as well as participatein any way possible, in addressingproblems and gaps in the AESpreparations;

3. Help come up with clear guidelinesas well as practical application of anappropriate adjudication process

according to the design of the electionsystem;

4. Ensure safeguards and remedialmeasures on the ident i f iedvulnerabilities and critical areas toraise the level of trustworthiness andcredibility of the AES and/or ensurethat elections push through in May2010 whatever the problems are.


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3. Academe

4. Church/Faith

5. Research/Policy Study

6. Business

7. Lawyers/Legal

8. Media

From the Assembly, a Multi-

Sectoral Coordinating Secretariat

will be organized from its list of con-

veners to involve multi-sectoral

leaders, representatives of differentgroups from different regions,

volunteering their individual or or-

ganizational resources to promote

critical AES watch advocacy and

active intervention for transparent

and credible May 2010 polls.

The AES Watch currently has a

Working Group composed of the

original conveners who initiated the

AES Watch formation last October.This Working Group, as expanded

to accommodate new groups and

individuals joining the AES Watch,

will continue to perform the coordi-

nating function.

The AES Watch will have as its

highest consensus making body, the

Assembly to be composed of all

groups and individuals advocating

transparent and credible AES and

May 2010 polls.

The AES membership may be or-ganized into sub-groups to facilitate

coordination and action, e.g.:

1. IT

2. NGO/PO

An Advisory Group may be

organized composed of one or two

representatives from each of the

following sectors: business, IT,church, media, NGO, academe,

research/study, lawyers, which can

be consulted from time to time

regarding the networks multifac-

eted concerns.

The AES Watch Organizational Structure

For further inquiries, please contact us at:

aeswatch 2010

Secretariat: University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA),Ang Bahay ng Alumni, Magsaysay Ave., University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon CityTelefax: 929-9526; Telephone: 920-6868; Fax: 929-8327; Email: [email protected]

Documents

What is AES Watch