Borra: No anomaly in counting machine project

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Resurreccion Borra assured yesterday that the awarding of the P1.249-billion counting machine supply contract was "fully transparent" and was a step toward "cleaner, more honest elections."

Borra also decried the move of an unspecified vested interest group to circulate a "white paper" that spread false information about the second phase of Comelec’s Electoral Modernization Program (EMP).

"With the conclusion of the fully transparent and rigorous bidding process for the second phase of EMP, we are closer to having cleaner, more honest elections in the coming local and national elections with the aid of automation and computerization in all key processes," said Borra, commissioner-in-charge of EMP-2.

"Apparently, there is a party hiding under the cloak of anonymity who is maliciously seeking to derail the commission’s effort to put all the equipment and processes in place for the full implementation of EMP beginning May 2004," he added.

The Comelec awarded the EMP-2 contract to the Mega Pacific consortium, consisting of election.com, SK C&C, ePLDT, Testron and WeSolve, on April 15 and included a technical evaluation by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

Mega Pacific was issued a notice of award to provide 1,700 units of counting machines to be used in all voting precincts in the country.

Borra stressed that the Comelec "has been and continues to be extra-careful so that the present poll modernization can proceed with utmost transparency and efficiency."

The Comelec even conducted an on-site inspection of production capability and quality control of Mega Pacific’s South Korean supplier before the Comelec’s bids and awards committee submitted its recommendation.

Moreover, Borra said the Comelec has not signed any contract with Mega Pacific and that certain specifications and technical requirements would have to be met before a contract is signed.

"We will not sign a contract with Mega Pacific until all issues are cleared to our satisfaction," Borra said, refuting the points raised in the anonymous "white paper."

Borra denied the allegation that six Korean technicians will be needed for each of the 1,700 counting machines (or a total of 10,200 people) and stressed that Filipino technicians will be trained on the counting machines.