23 bishops ask to bar Smartmatic from diagnostics contract Twenty three Bishops and two priests have signed a letter asking the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to rescind a resolution directly contracting Smartmatic to perform diagnostics services on the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines. In a letter dated Jan. 21, 2015, the prelates said they were greatly concerned with the Comelecs holiday rush Dec. 23 Resolution 9922 awarding the reseller company, Smartmatic, a P300 million contract for diagnosis and minor repair services of as many as 80,000 PCOS machines. Led by Manila Auxillary Bishop Broderic Pabillo, they said the haste lacks prudence and the amount is far too high just to diagnose the machines. We are disturbed that many contracts have been awarded to the Venezuelan company, Smartmatic, since 2010 to automate the Philippine national and local elections now amounting to billions of taxpayers money-- despite undisputed findings by citizens election watchdogs, IT experts, and other concerned groups with regard to non-compliance by both Comelec and Smartmatic of election and procurement laws that compromised the transparency, security, accuracy and trustworthiness of the automated elections system. The letter was signed by Bishops Pabillo, Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao; Roberto Mallari of Nueva Ecija; Pedro Arigo of Puerto Princesa, Palawan; Camilo Gregorio of Batanes; Jose Lazo of Antique; Jose Advincula of Capiz; Leopoldo Jaucian of Bangued; Angelito Lampon of Jolo; Jose Cabantan of Malaybalay, Bukidnon; Bernardino Cortez of Infanta, Quezon; Soffonio Bancud of Cabanatuan; Emmanuel Trance of Catarman; Martin Jumoad of Basilan; Renato Mayugba of Laoag; Emmanuel Cabajar of Pagadian; Ricardo Baccay of Tuguegarao; Patricio Buzon of Kabankalan; Patrick Daniel Parcon of Talibon; Joel Baylon of Legaspi; Isabelo Abarquez of Calbayog; Crispin Varquez of Borongan and Teodoro Bacani of Novaliches. It was also signed by Vicar General Monsignor Rey Ragudos of Alaminos, Pangasinan and Daniel Presto, Vicar Forane of Iba, Zambales. In the resolution, Comelec claimed that the government would be running out of time if a third party provider has to be tapped to do the diagnostics on the PCOS machines purchased by the poll body from Smartmatic. The prelates, however, debunked this position taken by Comelec, saying that lack of time is no excuse for such undue haste. Past election timetables were even shorter. Besides, this lack of time is due to Comelec itself not acting promptly, as they had already been warned much earlier, they added. The bishops also asked Comelec to defer the decision on the matter until the replacements of Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. and Commissioners Lucenito Tagle and Elias Yusoph are named. The nation once again gears up for the next elections in 2016 to choose our next leaders who will oversee government affairs consistent with the principles of transparency and accountability, they said. May the next leaders take the challenge of Pope Francis to place the poor and marginalized as the focus of the political leaders mission against corruption, scandalous social inequality, and widespread materialism, they added. interaksyon/article/103786/23-bishops-ask-to-bar-smartmatic-from-diagnostics-contract
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 00:45:08 +0000
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