Automated or not, 2010 elections will push through - Ermita

MANILA, Philippines — Next year’s national and local elections will push through even if plans to automate the voting system do not materialize, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Wednesday, quoting the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Ermita said he got the assurance from Comelec Chairman Jose Melo amid concerns that legislators may block the signing of a poll automation contract between the government and Smartmatic owing to questions about the identity of the consortium’s Latin American partners. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile had earlier said that financial capability of the Smartmatic seems to be problematic as its net worth is only $35 million or P1.5 billion but it presented a bid of P7.2 billion to the Comelec. The Smartmatic-Total Information Management Corp. consortium beat several others by bidding only P7.21 billion to secure the contract, way below the Comelec’s P11.3-billion budget for the automation program. Melo reportedly assured Malacaňang that the Comelec has back-up plans ready in case the automation fails. “We are 11 months away from election, we are confident that Comelec will be able to handle the situation," Ermita said in a briefing at the Annabel’s Restaurant in Quezon City. Malacañang, however, is still hopeful that poll automation would proceed and be part of the legacy of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. On charges that the Senate investigation into the automation bidding process was hampering the poll preparations, Ermita said it is within the senators’ right and mandate to undertake such probe and it would be best to simply await their findings. ’Malicious’ allegations Meanwhile, presidential adviser for political affairs Gabriel Claudio rejected suggestions that the automation was designed to fail as part of a plan to prolong President Arroyo’s stay in power. He described the allegations as “malicious" and “unfair" and asserted that everyone is praying for successful, efficient, honest and credible 2010 elections. “Instead of criticizing moves to make automated elections possible, let us all contribute to its success," he said. Claudio said the 2010 automated nationwide election is a big and important historical development and the administration wants it to be a big success. “Instead of finding fault, let us all help. Let us be vigilant about the whole process, but let us also contribute, not just criticize for the sake of criticizing and demoralizing the electorate when there is no reason to do so. Let us give our faith and trust in the Comelec," he said. - GMANews.TV