Estrada OKs suspension of voters’ project

President Estrada ordered yesterday the recommendation of Commission on Elections’ chairperson Harriet Demetriou to suspend the P6.5-billion voter registration and identification system (VRIS) project.

Malacañang, in a statement, said the President’s decision stemmed from "legal, financial and technical" issues, and not from speculations that one of the bidders was connected with Guia Gomez, with whom he has a son.

Press Undersecretary Michael Toledo said the President will ask Justice Secretary Artemio Tuquero to review the VRIS contract.

Mr. Estrada arrived at his decision after meeting with Demetriou at the Palace yesterday afternoon.

Jose Concepcion, chairman of the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel), hailed Deme-triou for junking the "expensive" VRIS project. "The amount saved is equal to the cost of one-fourth of the MRT line," he said.