Press Release
September 6, 2009

CHIZ TO COMELEC, SMARTMATIC/TIM: BARE GROUNDWORK
FOR POLL AUTOMATION

Opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero yesterday asked the Commission on Elections and the Smartmatic/TIM consortium to disclose to the public all of its activities in relation to preparations for the automated 2010 elections.

"The automation of next year's elections is a very crucial and historical event. The Filipino people should be provided with all the information pertinent to this activity, lest we be again be lulled into complacency," Escudero, chair of the Joint Oversight Committee on the Automated Election System, said in a statement.

The senator said Smartmatic/TIM should by now have completed or at least be gaining headway in its site surveys of all the country's precincts and have a clearer picture of how it intends to conduct voting in each of the precincts.

"By now, the consortium should be able to answer questions on issues like transmission facilities, mapping and the allocation of machines and resources to each cluster of barangays," he said. Escudero said Smarmatic/TIM received the complete list of the precincts by location from the Comelec months ago, and it should have at least drafted a "master plan" by now.

"Has the scheme for the delivery of the machines been finalized? How are they doing in terms of manpower? These issues should be addressed and presented to the public to dispel any fear or suspicion of indiscretion or impropriety," he asked.

The senator also wants to know how much funds have been advanced to Smartmatic/TIM, if any, and if there have been any progress in the acquisition of the machines.

The consortium bid P7.2 billion for the automation of next year's election, which had an approved budget of P11.3 billion.

"I would also want to know what the Comelec intends to do with the savings from the automation budget. As a constitutional body, Comelec has a wide discretion on what to do with its savings," Escudero said.

Escudero said that the poll body has a status of fiscal independence and as such, it has the power to realign funds released to it under budget rules.

He said that whatever the Comelec decides to do with the P4.1 billion savings from the automation budget should immediately be made public and transparent and should be in accordance with the country's procurement laws.

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