Senator Pimentel, fraud victim, says PCOS deal illegal

Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

DAVAO CITY, Philippines—The chair of the Senate panel of a joint congressional investigating body looking into allegations of anomalies in the use of precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines in the 2010 and 2013 elections described as illegal the P300- million contract awarded to a service provider to refurbish PCOS machines for the 2016 elections.

Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who is also the chair of the Senate committee on electoral reforms, said he would demand a stop to the implementation of the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) negotiated contract worth P300 million, with service provider Smartmatic-TIM for the refurbishment of PCOS machines.

Pimentel, in a statement, said Comelec has gone against procurement laws when it directly contracted Smartmatic for the diagnosis and repair of 82,000 PCOS machines way ahead of the 2016 elections.

“The only way to have those PCOS machines repaired and diagnosed is through a public bidding,” said Pimentel in his statement.

“There’s no legal basis for Comelec to resort to direct contracting,” he said. “This goes against the procurement law and there’s still plenty of time before next year’s elections,” he added.

Pimentel’s statement echoed those earlier made by Makabayan bloc, which lashed out at Comelec for awarding the P300-million refurbishment contract without the benefit of a public bidding.

“Entering into a negotiated contract for the refurbishment of the PCOS machines not only violates the government procurement law but also exposes our electoral system to high risks of fraud, especially as Smartmatic, which has been involved in the still-unresolved issues of election rigging in the 2013 elections, will again get its hands on the PCOS machines,” the progressive lawmakers said in a separate statement.

Pimentel said all procurement modes must be opened and exhausted to ensure that the contract complies with Republic Act 9184 or the Government Reform Procurement Act.

“Open public bidding would afford the Comelec opportunity to pick the best offer and secure the lowest bid,” said Pimentel, who has been tagged as one of the victims of so-called digital lines in PCOS machine results that led to shaving and padding of votes in the senatorial race.

The award of the P300 million extended warranty deal to Smartmatic raised suspicions of a midnight deal between the company and retiring Comelec officials.

Pimentel asked Comelec chair Sixto Brillantes, and Commissioners Lucenito Tagle and Elias Yusoph, all set to retire next month, to leave the preparations for next year’s elections to their successors. Germelina Lacorte, Inquirer Mindanao

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