Comelec tells Miru, partners: Don’t engage in irregularities

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THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday issued a stern warning to its automated election systems (AES) provider, Miru Systems, against engaging in any irregularities during the conduct of the May 2025 national and local polls.

Speaking after the contract signing with the joint venture led by Miru Systems, Comelec chairman George Garcia told the winning bidder for the Full Automation System with Transparency Audit and Count (FASTrAC) project to avoid sabotaging the elections.

“I told them and their Filipino partners to expect to be approached by politicians, political parties, and others to ask them to rig the election results in their favor. I emphasized to them that if they have the capability, don’t do it under the present leadership of this Commission,” Garcia said.

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The poll chief said such fraudulent acts is a violation of the provisions of the Poll Automation Law.

“We have Republic Act No. 9369 that has a provision on electoral sabotage. If there are any irregularities, that’s life imprisonment. I told them that I wouldn’t want all of us to be imprisoned,” said Garcia.

Instead of giving in to the requests of politicians and political parties, he urged the service provider to report them to the poll body.

“In case somebody approaches you, report them to us because it will only be detrimental to our good partnership,” said Garcia.

For its part, Miru Systems president Jinbok Chung assured the Comelec and the public that the company will adhere to all the guidelines and rules of the Philippine government.

“We promise, we can guarantee that we will be transparent all throughout the process. We will abide by the rules of the Comelec, of this nation,” said Chung, who spoke through his interpreter, Miru Overseas Sales Representative Jason Lee.

He said they do not want to compromise the company’s credibility.

“Our goal is also to build up our company and to expand and we’re looking towards the future. We will not do anything that will jeopardize our future and also the election process of the Philippines,” said Chung.

CONTRACT

On Monday, the Comelec signed the contract with the joint venture of Miru Systems Co Ltd, Integrated Computer Systems, St. Timothy Construction Corporation, and Centerpoint Solutions Technologies, Inc. (MIRU-ICS-STCC-CPSTI) for the FASTrAC project to be used in the 2025 AES.

The joint venture submitted the lowest bid at P17,988,878,226.55 for the project.

Among the salient points of the contract are the Election Management System (EMS), Automated Counting Machine (ACM), and Consolidation and Canvassing System (CCS) which are being customized by Miru.

The Comelec is allowed to require reasonable system modifications without additional charge during the customization phase of the project.

The deal also states that official ballot security features, such as bar codes, holograms, color shifting ink, micro-printing, and other measures shall be adopted to prevent fake ballots; and that watchers of accredited political parties and deputized citizens arms will be allowed to witness all stages of the printing, storage, and distribution of official ballots.

Miru is also mandated to provide technical support and personnel requirements for ACM repairs, technical hubs with two qualified technicians for purposes of ACM troubleshooting, repair, and replacement; and all required tools and replacement parts of the ACMs.

The contract also requires Miru to formulate, develop, and provide a contingency plan to ensure continuous operation of the components of the FASTrAC project.

Garcia said they expect Miru Systems to complete the manufacturing and customization of the ACMs in six months.

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“What we want is to have the most orderly, credible, and trustworthy elections in 2025,” said the Comelec chairman.

“We are asking Miru to make the 2025 elections orderly so that (it) can participate again in the next procurement projects of the Comelec,” added Garcia.

With the Comelec-Miru Systems contract has been signed, a lawmaker who is a member of the militant Makabayan bloc urged the leadership of the House of Representatives to look into the contract.

Rep. France Castro (PL, ACT), who earlier called on the Comelec to defer the granting of the contract to the Korean firm, said it has to be investigated “in light of the critical failures experienced by Miru voting machines during elections in Congo and Iraq.”

“The incidents in Congo and Iraq revealed alarming technical glitches, malfunctioning hardware, and software errors that resulted in inaccurate vote counts and delays in reporting election results. Such failures undermine the reliability and integrity of the electoral process, erode public trust, and have the potential to incite political chaos and unrest,” Castro said.

The Comelec will continue to brief the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms today on its preparations for the 2025 midterm elections, including the use of the Miru system.

Castro said there is a need for a separate congressional inquiry, citing the past failures of Miru voting machines in other countries, which, she said, “highlight the significant risks associated with their use in the Philippine electoral system.”

The militant lawmaker warned that “the potential for manipulation and corruption poses a grave threat to the democratic process and the country’s stability.’

Furthermore, Castro also stressed that concerns have been raised regarding the sole lone bidder status of Miru for the election contract, “raising suspicions of collusion or preferential treatment.”

“Tailoring terms of reference to fit the capabilities of a specific vendor suggests potential corruption within the procurement process, undermining fairness and transparency,” she said.

Castro told Miru that the mere certification of completion “does not guarantee the effectiveness or reliability of voting machines in real-world elections” and that “thorough testing and evaluation in actual election scenarios are crucial before widespread implementation.”

“Given the urgency and gravity of the situation, I’m calling for a comprehensive investigation into the selection of Miru as the voting machine provider for Philippine elections. Failure to address these concerns could have severe economic repercussions, as it would undermine trust in the electoral process and potentially lead to political instability,” she said. — With Wendell Vigilia

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