Comelec told: Ban Smartmatic

MANILA, Philippines–Election watchdog groups proposed at a public forum on Wednesday that the Commission on Elections ban Smartmatic-TIM from participating in any poll-related bidding in the country.

But newly appointed Comelec Chair Andres Bautista, who attended the forum to “listen and learn,” appeared lukewarm to the idea.

“There is nothing to bar the Smartmatic from participating,” Bautista said.

During the forum, Leo Querubin of the Philippine Computer Society said that if Smartmatic wins the bidding, it could use the maintenance agreement to erase evidence of its technical glitches which resulted in ballots being voided.–Erika Sauler