Comelec Chair George Garcia shows a sample of the electronic ballot during the Local Source Code Review of the Automated Election Systems (AES) at the Circuit Corporation One building in Makati city on October 11, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday launched its Random Manual Audit Committee (RMAC) in Pasay City.

The Random Manual Audit Team will be headed by commissioner-in-charge Aimee Ferolino.

According to Comelec chairman George Garcia, Republic Act 9369 mandates the conduct of a RMA in every election in the country. 

For the upcoming 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE), Garcia said, not more than 762 clustered precincts using the Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) and one online voting posts for votes cast through Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS) will be part of the RMA.

The poll body said the RMA will be from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for 45 days, starting on May 13.

"Yan ay nakalagay sa batas, sinasabi, pagkatapos ng bawat eleksyon, meron tayong gagawin na Random Manual Audit. Titingnan yung lahat ng laman, pati yung iba pang gamit na nandon sa loob ng ballot box… Titingnan kung Ito ay tumutugma 'yung bilang ng mga balota manually counted doon sa mismong result ng machine na meron namang election returns," said Garcia. 

"For the last several years, since 2010, 99.9% lagi ang accuracy ng Random Manual Audit natin," he added.

The polling precinct for the RMA will be chosen via electronic raffle, Garcia also said. 

"Electronic raffle po yan na mismong PSA ang mag-undertake na dadaan sa source code review ang sistema na gagamitin para ma-raffle ng maayos ang 762 na precincts, at isa sa abroad. Puwede din po magdagdag ng mga lugar or posts sa abroad para sa RMA, depende na sa request ng committee," Garcia explained. 

Poll watch dogs NAMFREL, LENTE, PPRCV and other election stakeholders attended the RMAC launch.