Automation of 2010 polls will push through -- Comelec

By Ferdinand G. Patinio

MANILA, July 4 (PNA) -- Automation of the 2010 national and local elections will push through, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday.

This after Smartmatic International and its local partner Total Information Management Corporation (TIM) resolved their "differences" Friday afternoon.

“We were able to thresh out everything,” Comelec Chairman Jose Melo announced after a three-hour meeting with the officials of the firms that won the P11.3- billion automation project.

He revealed that the companies have signed their incorporation papers and the joint venture agreement, signifying that whatever differences they had in the past weeks had already been settled.

With this, Melo explained that they expect the contract with the joint venture company to be signed on Friday (July 10) since the incorporation papers of the TIM and Smartmatic joint venture agreement are to be filed early next week before the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

“This will be incorporated within the day...so we will have the contract with the joint venture probably... Friday,” the Comelec chief said.

Melo said that since everything is settled, “We are back to automation.”

He assured that no more problems will occur between the partners since they have signed the joint venture incorporation paper, which makes them both liable in case another “internal” problem comes up.

“Hindi na siguro [magkakaproblema pa] dahil nakapirma na sila; they would be held liable,” Melo said.

Meanwhile, the Comelec official advised lawyer Harry Roque and the rest of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), who threatened to file charges against the commission if they decide to push through with the signing of the automation contract, to reconsider their plan.

“I think Atty. Roque did not check his facts well,” Melo said.

He explained that at the time the bidding was conducted, there was already a joint venture agreement between the Filipino firm [referring to TIM] and the foreign company [Smartmatic].

He noted that it would be foolish to require them to incorporate the joint venture partnership when they are not sure if they will be chosen or declared as the winning bidder.

Melo, meantime, refused to allow the representatives of the two companies to be interviewed by the media.

On the other hand, the Comelec chief expressed gratitude to both parties for patching up their differences, specifically mentioning TIM president Jose Mari Antunez.

“Mr. [Jose Mari] Antunez, [president and CEO of TIM] allowed the greater interest of the country to prevail,” Melo said.

As this developed, Msgr. Pedro Quitorio, spokesperson of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said they were elated over the decision of the consortium to push though with the automation of the 2010 polls.

“We are happy with the development and how we wish that,” he said.

With this, he urged the Comelec and those concerned to start working double time for a clean and honest election, which is what everybody is expecting with full automation. (PNA)