Poll automation contractor to address issues in Senate hearing

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia and Miru Systems president Chung Jin Bok during the P18-billion contract signing for lease of an automated election system to be used in the 2025 midterm elections. The South Korean firm will provide customizable systems and software, transparent and secure ballot printing, and technical support for the leased machines and systems. Miru Systems was the sole bidder for the lease of a Full Automation System with Transparency Audit/Count (Fastrac) to Comelec. (INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES)

MANILA, Philippines—Representatives of Miru Systems Co. Ltd (Miru Systems) will attend the Senate electoral reforms committee hearing on Tuesday to demonstrate its prototype machines for the 2025 midterm elections and address issues on its allegedly questionable track record.

Miru Systems’ attendance was confirmed on Monday by Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia after the South Korean firm failed to attend a House of Representatives hearing on March 12.

“Yes, Miru’s attendance is confirmed. The Senate has already communicated [with them], and our project management office has also coordinated with them,” Garcia said in an ambush interview on the sidelines of a satellite registration program in Bukidnon.

“In fact, they will set up the machines tomorrow morning […] so that our Senators can test these machines,” he continued.

As to why the vote counting machines demonstrated at Tuesday’s Senate hearing are prototypes, Garcia explained that this is because the machines have not yet been customized to the Comelec’s specifications, as the contract was just awarded to Miru Systems.

“The machines are not yet customized because if they were, you should sue Comelec. That’s why they are prototypes, because we are the ones who made the TOR [terms of reference],” he said.

Miru Systems’ customization of the automatic vote-counting machines will begin in April, according to Garcia.

The P17.9 billion contract for the lease of counting machines for the 2025 national and local elections was awarded to the joint venture led by the South Korean company, who has been the lone bidder for quite some time.