MANILA, Philippines – IBM continues to assert that it is not at fault for the major database crashes experienced by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

In a statement, the company warned that the GSIS has “made it impossible” for both parties to resolve the issue more constructively.

IBM was responding to several announcements by the GSIS through paid print and TV advertisements , weeks after the government agency filed cases against IBM.

In June 3, GSIS charged IBM Philippines and its parent US company, and systems integrator Questronix for failure to fix the crashes of its Integrated Loans, Membership, Acquired Assets and Accounts Management System (ILMAAAMS).

GSIS alleged that IBM’s DB2 database software was the cause of the crashes, which started in April. IBM countersued with a libel case against GSIS.

IBM also warned that ILMAAAMS would continue to experience stability problems until it implements several suggestions made by Questronix in May.

Among these suggestions include backup and recovery procedures, system performance testing based on industry standards and employing certified personnel to regularly manage their systems.

In a previous interview, GSIS chief legal counsel Estrella Elamparo alleged that IBM and Questronix failed to provide a “special build” that was promised to them to fix the problem.

Elamparo said the ILMAAAMS project, which cost P80 million to put up, was intended to speed up the processing of transactions of more than 1.5 million members.

Elamparo also filed a libel suit against Questronix president Alex Aloba alleging that he discredited the government agency through published statements.

IBM had been insisting that it was not part of the implementation of the ILMAAAMS project. It has also been stressing that it has been thoroughly helping the GSIS solve its problems at no cost to them.