Nograles to Comelec: Don't pay Smartmatic yet

MANILA, Philippines - Speaker Prospero Nograles wants the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to withhold full payment to its automation contractor Smartmatic-TIM.

“Comelec should not fully pay Smartmatic for the automated elections until such time as the Congress Joint Oversight Committee can give the public a clean bill of health about the first automated polls,” he said.

Nograles said Congress would require Smartmatic to reveal if it sub-contracted the supply of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines to other companies.

The Barbados-based firm won the automation contract amounting to P7.2 billion. It is not known if the Comelec has already paid the company.

Nograles said Congress would also look into reported cases of pre-programmed memory cards when it canvasses the votes for president and vice president.

Memory cards for the PCOS machines were found defective a week before the May 10 elections. Smartmatic promptly recalled the cards sent to polling precincts nationwide and replaced then in a week. 

Some lawmakers said an inquiry into the supposed tampered memory cards would slow down the canvassing process.

Another thing that could slow down the canvassing is the plan of former President Joseph Estrada to question the lead of Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. Estrada’s election lawyer George Garcia said they would present proof of fraud against Aquino.

Aquino is leading Estrada by over five million votes, according to the unofficial tally by the Comelec and citizens’ arm Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting.

Nograles and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, an Estrada ally, will preside over the canvassing of votes.

Enrile won a second term as senator under Estrada’s Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino. 

The National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) said all 7,555 PCOS machines from 743 polling centers in Metro Manila were returned to the Smartmatic warehouse in Cabuyao, Laguna.

NCRPO chief Director Roberto Rosales said trucking firm GEI cargo forwarder is retrieving the 286 counting machines placed on standby in case of malfunction. The trucking firm is also retrieving the consolidation canvassing system kit.

Rosales said their poll duties are not yet over because they still have to secure the Philippine International Convention Center grounds in Pasay City for the canvassing of votes. – With Non Alquitran