SC asks Comelec, Smartmatic to answer petition against bidding

Homobono Adaza. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Supreme Court ordered the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and technology provider Smartmatic to comment on the petition filed by a former official that seeks to stop the bidding for the automated counting machines to be used in the 2016 presidential elections.

The high court’s information chief Theodore Te said the respondents were given 10 days to comment upon receipt of the resolution.

In his petition, former Immigration Commissioner Homobono Adaza said the high court should stop the December 4 bidding due to the Comelec’s failure to resolve issues on the performance of Smartmatic in the 2010 and 2013 elections.

He said many of the 82,000 precinct count optical scan machines (PCOS) deployed in last year’s mid

term polls remain unaccounted for and have yet to undergo technical and forensic tests, which are needed to determine which units are still usable.

“[T]he commission or continuance of the said public bidding (on December 4, 2014) and acts pursuant thereto and thereafter will work grave and serious injustice to the applicants and the Filipino people, in general, as billions of pesos will be lost to them and their right to have clean, honest and orderly elections will be impaired and disregarded,” the petition stated.

Comelec has allocated P2.5-billion for the optimal mark reader (OMR) machines and P32.5 million for the direct recording electronic (DRE) units.

RELATED STORIES

Ex-commissioner urges Comelec to bid out PCOS upgrade contract

Comelec to Smartmatic: Convince us of your right to bid

Comelec lawyers buck Smartmatic deal