Arroyo still hopeful of automated 2010 polls - Ermita

MANILA, Philippines – Despite the disqualification of all bidders for the automated polls in 2010, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo remains hopeful that the forthcoming elections would be fully automated, a senior Palace official said Monday. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is banking on Commission on Elections (Comelec) chair Jose Melo’s assurance that the poll body would resolve the disqualification of all seven bidders. "Sabi ng Comelec magkakaroon ng automated elections, that’s our objective and I hope that will happen. (President Arroyo) is very, very hopeful na matutuloy ang automated elections," Ermita said in an ambush interview. [The Comelec said that full automation would push through.That’s our objective and I hope that will happen. The President is very, very hopeful that it will.] Failure of bidding? For varying reasons, the Comelec delisted the following bidders last week: • Avante International Inc. of the United States (with partners Canon Marketing Philippines of Japan and Netnode Technologies, DB Vizards and Creative Points of the Philippines); • Indra Sistemas of Spain (with partners Strategic Alliance Holdings Inc. of the Philippines and Hart Intercivic of the United States); • Sequoia Voting Systems of United States; • Total Information Management Co. of Philippines and Smartmatic of the Netherlands; • Amalgated Metro Philippines and Syrex Inc., both of Philippines and Anishin Inc. of Taiwan; and • AMA Group of Companies of the Philippines and Election System and Software of USA. • Gilat of Israel and F.F. Cruz and Co. Inc. of the Philippines But because the bidders were still entitled to appeal, the Comelec quickly dispelled fears that a "failure of bidding" would be declared. Melo said that there could be "fallback positions" like a second bidding and cutting back on the poll body’s requirements for automated elections. The Comelec chief, however, admitted the disqualification might affect their timetable of preparations for next year’s polls. Still, Melo assured that they would exhaust all means before having to resort to manual elections in 2010. - with Sophia Dedace, GMANews.TV