COMELEC Spokesperson Director James Jimenez (UNTV News)
MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections allayed the fears of some that the upcoming presidential polls will go back to manual.
COMELEC asserted that it will do all legal means possible so that the 2016 elections will remain automated.
Rumors of going back to a manual election spread after the Supreme Court issued on Tuesday a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the diagnostics and repair of the old PCOS machines to be done by Smartmatic-TIM.
“Were determined not to go manual. Remember the threat of returning to manual elections has been around since 2009,” COMELEC Spokesperson James Jimenez said.
“There are remedies available and we can work on getting this TRO lifted,” he added.
“Under Republic Act 9369 it is really stated there that after the pilot of 2008 then all elections should be automated,” COMELEC Acting Chairman Christian Robert Lim said.
The election watchdog Automated Election System Watch (AES Watch) was elated with the courts decision to issue a TRO and said it is a partial victory for them.
But COMELEC said, there is still no reason to rejoice because the issuance of a restraining order does not constitute a final decision of the high court.
COMELEC Spokesman James Jimenez said they still have an opportunity to justify to the Supreme Court the legitimacy of the contract that did not go thru a public bidding.
“We hope, COMELEC hopes that we will be able to convince the court, be given the opportunity to convince the court that we are right,” Jimenez said.
The commission is hopeful that the court will resolve the issue the soonest time possible so the refurbishment of the 81,000 voting machines can push thru.
Based on the original plan, the diagnostics and repair of the PCOS machines would last for 5 months.
COMELEC is not open to the idea that a public bidding will be conducted and a different company will do the refurbishment of the voting machines.
“Yung Smartmatic ang best suited to do this. Sila yung may pinaka-established na kakayanan, sila yung nakaka alam ng makina. Ngayon kung kukuha ng panibagong gagawa nito babalik tayo dun sa uncertainty na pinanggalingan natin, na para bang kaya ba nila. Kung kaya nila anong guarantee natin na hindi tayo magkaka-problema down the road,” Jimenez explained.
(Smartmatic is best suited to do this. They have the capability, they know the machines. If a different company will take over, we will go back to the uncertainty if they are capable of doing it. And if so, is there a guarantee that we will not encounter any problems down the road.)
COMELEC is open to exploring the possibility that its own technicians will do the diagnostics and repair.
Earlier today, COMELEC commissioners and senior officials discussed possible scenarios and contingencies on the possible effects of the TRO.
Smartmatic on the other hand is confident that the Supreme Court will see the soundness and validity of the contract once the justifications of it is heard in court. (Victor Cosare / UNTV News)