Firm backs out of 2010 poll automation

[explorer]

from: www.inquirer.net

Firm backs out of 2010 poll automation

Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer
June 29, 2009

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) The automation of the 2010 elections was placed in jeopardy after the Filipino partner of the technology consortium that won the bidding for the project backed out, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Jose Melo said.

Melo said officials of Total Information Management Corp. (TIM) informed him that they were withdrawing from their partnership with Dutch firm Smartmatic International.

“They told me they are withdrawing already, citing irreconcilable differences,” Melo said late Monday afternoon.

“We may have to use manual,” Melo said, as he acknowledged that the development put the automation project in jeopardy.

Melo expressed frustration over TIM's withdrawal, which put at risk the electronic voting exercise and added that the Comelec would sue TIM. "They're toying with us," he said.

Earlier, the Comelec suspended contract negotiations with Smartmatic-TIM due to its failure to submit its incorporation papers.

Melo said the joint venture's certificate of registration from the Securities and Exchange Commission was important because it would establish the legality of the partnership between Smartmatic and TIM.

“That will be the company we will be signing the contract with. If there is no such document, who are we signing the contract with?” Melo said.

“We are just calling off negotiation because we don't know who we are contracting to,” Melo said in an earlier interview. “It's effective today [Monday]. There is no use talking to a ghost,” he added.

Melo gave the consortium until Friday to submit its incorporation papers.

If the Comelec calls off the deal with Smartmatic-TIM, the poll body will look into partial automation or continuing manual elections as a last option, Melo said, adding a second bidding was out of the question due to time constraints.

Smartmatic-TIM tendered a P7.2-billion bid for the P11.2-billion automation project. Under the agreement, the consortium will lease 82,200 counting machines to the Comelec.

Reached for comment Monday night, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting chairperson Henrietta De Villa said she was “saddened” by the withdrawal of TIM from the automation project.

‘’It’s so sad because I was an advocate of automation, and now this happened,’’ said De Villa.

De Villa said she was dismayed by TIM’s decision, as relayed to her on Monday by the Comelec. ‘’I cannot second guess them, pero sila-sila (Smartmatic and TIM) rin naman dapat ang nag-uusap dun (they themselves know the score and should be talking things out).

On suspicions that the TIM’s withdrawal was premeditated as part of scheme to derail the poll automation project at the last-minute, De Villa said: ‘’That is speculation right now, but we cannot blame people for thinking that way. This should be investigated.’’

[chua_riwap]

Baka "moro-moro" lang yang kunyari automation ng elections, pero huwag ka, ang mga nasa "itaas" gusto, manu-mano pa rin. Mas madaling dayain.......

[ghosthunter]

I can understand the reasons why the company backs out from the government deal. So much red tape, so much double talk, so much controversy. And that is not even yet talking about the corruption that is prevalent within all departments of the government.

[XTO]

what else is new? :crash: if they really want it pwedeng pwede noh

[tidus1203]

Looks like dayaan nanaman. I was hoping automated polls might lessen cheating since the biggest ally of cheating is TIME and lots of it. If it takes 2-3 weeks to count the results that is plenty of time to do dagdag-bawas. Unlike if the results are only counted overnight that's much harder for the cheaters to do their thing... Oh well, matagal rin naman ako nawalan nang pag-asa sa electoral process dito sa Pilipinas.

[1D4LV]

I can understand the reasons why the company backs out from the government deal. So much red tape, so much double talk, so much controversy. And that is not even yet talking about the corruption that is prevalent within all departments of the government.

+1 here. kalaunan nyan baka malugi pa sila sa dami ng padulas. not to mention the pressure from malacanang.

tapos medyo risky sa part nung TIM. pag biglang kumalas yung foreign counterpart nila, they will just be left here to face the charges...

OT: Atty. Boy de Borja (TIM's lawyer) is a friend. Pag nakachikahan ko, babalitaan ko kayo dito... hehehehe.

[loidch]

the news yesterday was Melo suspended talks with Smartmatic, bec. it was not yet registered at the SEC......WTF.....di ba yan ang basic requirement ng kahit na isang small business?

now TIM the local partner has backed out......baka may pressure sa itaas.

ano kaya ang nasa isip ni Prof. David?

[ghosthunter]

the news yesterday was Melo suspended talks with Smartmatic, bec. it was not yet registered at the SEC......WTF.....di ba yan ang basic requirement ng kahit na isang small business?

now TIM the local partner has backed out......baka may pressure sa itaas.

ano kaya ang nasa isip ni Prof. David?

Maybe there is pressure from above... pressure to make sure we will still have manual counting for the 2010 elections.

[ghosthunter]

OT: Atty. Boy de Borja (TIM's lawyer) is a friend. Pag nakachikahan ko, babalitaan ko kayo dito... hehehehe.

Be waiting for your update.

[CVT]

Tingin ko scripted iyan....

8202:sampay:

[explorer]

from: www.inquirer.net

Enrile warns poll officials

INQUIRER.net
July 03, 2009

MANILA, Philippines – Election officials will end up in jail if they fail to either automate or prepare for the manual balloting next year, Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile warned on Friday.

Enrile said the Commission on Elections should make public its declaration on whether it could automate the 2010 elections, saying the issue should not be left hanging.

“There needs to be a deadline. The automation can’t be open-ended. Comelec should say whether they can do it because if they can’t do it, then they can’t… Otherwise, they will all go to jail,” Enrile said in Filipino at a press conference in the Senate.

“The poll body is the one responsible. They claim that they can automate in a short time and then they can’t and they are not prepared for manual polls. They have to prepare for the manual election as back up while getting ready for automation. It’s back up for the whole exercise,” he said.

At this point, he said, there was no stopping the poll automation “if it can be done.”

But in case this did not push through, Enrile said the Comelec should be prepared to shift to manual balloting.

“We can’t afford not to have an election. I will keep repeating, we can’t afford it. This country will be more than worse than a banana republic if we don’t have an election,” he pointed out.

“It’s better to have a manual election than nothing. Whatever may be the opinion of others, I’d rather have a manual election compared to no elections or failure of election or a revolution because that will be the net result if we have no election,” he further said.

Enrile said the P11.3 billion poll automation budget could be used for manual balloting even without violating the law.

He also saw nothing wrong with the Comelec awarding the project to Smartmatic Inc. even without a local partner since he said the 60-40 share ownership should only apply to public service or a public utility operation.

“I’m not familiar with the law on procurement because I was not here when the law was passed and I don’t know why they will require a Filipino partner for the winning bidder because this activity that we’re discussing, election, hindi naman public service. It’s not a public utility operation, which requires the 60-40 ratio of share ownership of the winning bidder,” he further said.