MANILA, Philippines -- About 40 militants picketed the Commission on Elections (Comelec) headquarters on Friday morning to protest the automation contract it was to sign later with a technology consortium.

Bayan Muna secretary-general Renato Reyes said there were still plenty of unresolved questions about the P7.2-billion contract between the Comelec and the partnership of Dutch firm Smartmatic and Filipino firm Total Information Management (TIM).

He urged the commission to disclose the terms of the contract as well as details of the joint venture agreement between the two suplliers in the interest of transparency and public accountability.

“Comelec must fully disclose to the public the exact terms of the settlement of TIM and Smartmatic. It is absurd and unjust that the Filipino people are kept in the dark as to the specific terms of the joint venture especially when the credibility of the entire elections are at stake. Comelec should stop acting as an apologist for Smartmatic and TIM,” Reyes said.