The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has ordered its service provider Smartmatic International to submit its report on the supposed security breach which was revealed at a recent hearing of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee (JCOC) on the Automated Election System (AES).

In a statement Thursday, COMELEC Chairperson Saidamen Pangarungan said he already ordered Executive Director Bartolome Sinocruz to get the side of the international service provider on the allegations.

“We also directed the Law Department to conduct a review of the contract with Smartmatic and to advise the courses of action to be taken by the Commission as may be provided by law and jurisprudence,” Pangarungan said.

He also ordered Sinocruz to coordinate with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and secure a copy of its report once available.

“I would also like to reiterate that these measures are just a few of the measures that the COMELEC has been instituting in performing our mandate in protecting the sanctity of the vote, since my appointment,” Pangarungan said.

Pangarungan also assured the public that the poll body continues to provide more safeguards and policies that will “uphold our democratic exercise”.

He also ordered the creation of a plan that will prevent such incidents from happening again.

Last week, JCOC-AES chairperson Senator Imee Marcos revealed that there has been a security breach on the part of the service provider after one of its contractual workers allegedly took out an official laptop and leaked its contents. (PNA)