Comelec eyes negotiated contract for automated polls

MANILA, Philippines - With the list of bidders whittled down to just one, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is looking at the possibility of a negotiated contract for automated polls in 2010. But Comelec spokesman James Arthur Jimenez insisted that the negotiated contract is a last resort, and that the bidding process is not yet dead. "Hindi natin gusto ang negotiated contract, makakasira lalo yan. Nguni't kung yan ang kakailanganing gawin upang matuloy ang automation sa 2010, then it's something we have to do," Jimenez said in an interview on dwIZ radio. [We do not want a negotiated contract as much as possible because it will taint the credibility of the election process. But if that's what we have to do to ensure automated polls in 2010, then we have to do it.] Should a negotiated contract be inevitable, he said, the poll body would be transparent about it. Jimenez said they had been transparent about the bidding process, announcing the outcome of every stage even if it is "not flattering" to the Comelec. "Ang aming assurance sa publiko kung gaano kami ka-transparent ngayon, kahit itong balita ngayon, let's admit it, hindi flattering sa Comelec nilalabas natin at binabalita natin. Ganoon tayo ka-transparent sa negotiated contract kung saka-sakali, he said. [Our assurance to the public is that we will be transparent. Let's admit it, the announcements we had made about the bidding had not been flattering to us, yet we still came out with it. That's how transparent we will be if we have to go to a negotiated contract.] On the other hand, Jimenez pointed out they cannot resort to a negotiated contract until there are two failed biddings. He also noted there is no failed bidding at present because there is an appeals process that the disqualified bidders can use. He said the Comelec has and “appeals" process for disqualified bidders, who only need to argue their case within three days. Jimenez said that while some of the bidders were disqualified because of "complications," others "simply did not ask questions." "May disqualification na sobrang no-brainer [Some disqualifications were no-brainers]. They range from very stupid to very complicated," he said. A setback threatens next year’s poll automation after the Comelec's Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) whittled down to one the seven consortiums bidding to handle the poll automation. - GMANews.TV