Comelec says it can't easily ban Smartmatic from future elections

Smartmatic, the technology provider in the country's automated elections, will not be banned from participating in any future bidding, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Friday, amid President Rodrigo Duterte's advice to the poll body to ditch the firm.

"We need a legal basis to ban any supplier or provider for any future election," said Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez at a press briefing.

Facing the Filipino community in Tokyo where he is on a four-day working visit, Duterte urged the Comelec to get rid of the Smartmatic and look for a new one "that is free from fraud."

Smartmatic, which is based in Venezuela, has been providing the vote-counting machines (VCMs) since the Philippines first implemented a nationwide automation of the elections in 2010.

During the recent midterm elections, a total of 961 VCMs malfunctioned while 1,665 Secure Digital Cards of VCMs were corrupted during Election Day.

The Comelec has attributed this to suppliers of SD cards, ballot paper and marker differing from Smartmatic, thus the non-synchronization of the pieces.

Jimenez said the Comelec could always change the supplier of vote counting machines subject to public bidding as required under the Procurement law.

"There is always a chance na magpalit ng provider," he said. "Walang namang hold ang Smarmatic sa atin. Tayo ay sumusunod [lamang] sa rules ng public bidding kung saan ang Smartmatic ang nananalo."

“We draw our schedule wherein we can accommodate a new supplier,” Jimenez added.

Jimenez also interpreted the President’s statements as explicit support of the automation law, and that he just wants to improve the process.

“Hindi itinatakwil ng Presidente ang automated system. Kaya lang, hindi siya satisfied doon sa supplier [ng vote counting machines]," he said.

"We must not lose sight of the fact na nakapgaproklama tao ng matiwasay, and in general we had a successful elections."

"Nagkaroon tayo ng issue sa VCMs and SD cards, pero nasolusyunan naman. It is in that context where we will evaluate kung tama ba ang pag-procure natin ng VCMs," Jimenez also said

At least 85,000 VCMs were used in the May polls.  —KBK, GMA News