Press Release
July 2, 2009

ROXAS TO GMA: TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR RESOLVING
AUTOMATION CRISIS

PROPOSES MEETING WITH COMELEC, SMARTMATIC, TIM TO RESOLVE

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today called on President Arroyo to take responsibility for resolving the crisis involving the Commission on Election's poll automation project.

"It's a matter of national security and public interest; President Arroyo should quickly call all parties involved to a meeting and find out for herself why and how this important project hit this snag," he said.

"Kung talagang desidido ang gobyernong ito na magkaroon ng malinis na halalan, dapat ang Pangulo mismo ang humanap ng paraan para resolbahin ang problemang ito. Oo, alitan ito sa pagitan ng dalawang mag-partner sa isang korporasyon, pero malaki ang implikasyon nito sa demokrasya natin," he added.

"Gutom na nga at walang trabaho ang mamamayan, nanakawin pa ng gobyerno ang pagkakataon nilang bumoto. Ito na nga lang ang nagbibigay sa kanila ng pag-asa na magkakaroon ng pagbabago. Pero di pa nga nagsisimula ang kampanya, ninanakaw na ang karapatan ng mamamayan sa tapat at malinis na halalan," he stressed.

The scheduled automation of the 2010 national elections is now in peril due to internal wrangling between Smartmatic and its Filipino partner, Total Information Management Corp. (TIM), which has withdrawn from the consortium, citing irreconcilable differences with the foreign firm.

The Visayan senator reiterated that a delay, much worse a cancellation, of the 2010 national elections is a severe setback to Philippines democracy as this would deny Filipinos the chance to elect their new leaders in the name of change and reform.

"Responsibilidad ng Pangulo at ng Comelec na siguruhing matutuloy ang eleksyon sa susunod na taon. Hindi maaaring panoorin lamang nila ang away sa pagitan ng Smartmatic at TIM nang wala silang ginagawang paraan upang maayos ang mga gusot at matuloy ang proyekto," he said.

"Kaya naman panahon na para patunayan ng administrasyong ito na iniisip din nila ang kapakanan ng taumbayan," he added.

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