P6.5-B voter ID system shelved

Next year’s elections will continue to use the old system as the Commission on Elections’ computerization program has suffered a glitch — lack of funds.

Comelec Chairwoman Harriet Demetriou said in a letter to President Estrada that she has decided to suspend the implementation of the P6.5-billion computerized voter identification system because the poll body only has P1.2 billion for its modernization program.

Mr. Estrada ordered the Comelec earlier to review a draft contract between the poll body and the Photokina Marketing Corp. regarding the bidding of machines for the ID scheme.

The ID plan under the Voters Registration and Identification System (VRIS) aims to minimize fraud in the coming elections.

However, Demetriou said in her letter that "much as I want to implement the commission’s laudable project, I am prohibited to do so by existing laws for obvious lack of sufficient funds available."

If the project is partly carried out, Demetriou said the Comelec may be charged with violating the law.

She explained that under the law, no contract involving expenditure of public funds can be entered into unless there is an appropriation for such a project.

Assuming that the project is allowable, the Comelec chief said she still cannot sign the contract with Photokina "for technical and legal reasons."

"To sign the contract now would definitely render me and even other commissioners who would sign personally liable to the Philippine government for knowingly entering into an illegal contract," Demetriou said.

She also threatened to move for the impeachment of any poll commissioner who would insist on signing the VRIS contract.

"If some of my fellow commissioners insist on signing the contract, I will call for their impeachment for betrayal of public trust," she said.

Demetriou issued the statement amid reports that some groups would question the legality of her decision and would ask other commissioners to push through with the ID project.

She said she would welcome these legal challenges and would face Photokina in court.