Press Release
November 8, 2009

COMELEC SHOULD FIND OUT OF VOTING MACHINES
CAN BE DELIVERED ON TIME

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today urged the Commission on Elections to ascertain whether the Smartmatic International-Total Information Management (SI-TIM), winning consortium of the P7.2 billion poll automation project, will be able to deliver on time the 82,500 electronic voting machines that will be used in the 2010 national and local elections.

Pimentel said the decision of Smartmatic to transfer the job of manufacturing the voting machines from Taiwan to Shanghai, China - more than five months after it was awarded the automation contract - raises serious concern on the company's capability to comply with its commitments to undertake the automation project.

Under the contract, Smartmatic should deliver to Comelec 12,000 machines in November 2009; 30,000 in December 2009; 30,000 in January 2010; and 12,000 in February 2010.

Pimentel said the apparently sudden transfer for making the machines from JariTech in Taiwan to a plant in Shanghai would severely disrupt the timetable for finishing and delivering the machines.

Despite the Smartmatic's assurance that it will be able to deliver the machines within schedule, he said the Comelec should go out of its way to verify the status of the project and not just rely on the word of the contractor.

"If you change the manufacturer, that will obviously contribute to the delay in the delivery of the machines that are needed for the elections," Pimentel said.

"And so I am hoping that the Comelec can clear up this matter. The Comelec should come forward and explain as candidly as they could what is happening."

Smartmatic reportedly informed the Comelec in late October that it shifted the manufacture of the voting machines to Shanghai after the JariTech's plant in Taiwan was damaged by a typhoon.

Cesar Flores, Smartmatic director for international operations, was quoted as saying that the transfer would be more advantageous as it would speed up the process since it will be nearer to the supply line in China.

Pimentel said if that if the reason for the transfer, it cast doubts on he technical competence of Smartmatic.

"Considering the large number of the voting machines to be manufactured, why did it subcontract the job to the Taiwanese firm when there is a manufacturer which has a much better capability?" he said.

The minority leader asked the Comelec to explain the consequences of the transfer to the Shanghai factory, especially on the possible setback in the training schedule for election personnel and volunteers who will operate the machines.

Pimentel stressed the importance of finishing and delivering the machines on time, considering that it will take time to evaluate and test them to ensure that they are made according to specifications and free of defects.

He also said the Smartmatic has yet to give a satisfactory explanation on why it has cancelled its contract with the Aboitiz-owned 2GO company as the cargo-forwarding company that would transport and deliver the machines to all voting areas, as well as provide storage and maintenance facilities for the equipment and accessories.

Smartmatic, he said, has yet to identify the company or companies that will take over the transport and delivery job from 2GO.

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