Atty. Harry Roque Files Petition Asking the Supreme Court to Stop Smartmatic-TIM Contract Signing with the Comelec on July 10, 2009

9 July 2009

TV Patrol showed Atty. Harry Roque filing a petition with the Supreme Court asking the high tribunal to stop the scheduled signing of the 2010 poll automation contract between the Comelec and the Smartmatic-TIM consortium.

The reasons given were that the contract signing would violate the poll automation law, the procurement law and the questionable reliability of the machines that will be used.

I'll post the TV Patrol video clip here as soon as it's available.

UPDATE

9 July 2009  11:40pm

Here is the TV Patrol report by Marieton Pacheco via kyte.tv:

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Smartmatic Local Partner TIM Withdraws from Joint Venture, Cites "Irreconcilable Differences" — 2010 Poll Automation in Grave Peril

29 June 2009

In a shocking turn of events, Total Information Management Corp. pulled out of its joint venture with Smartmatic for the 2010 poll automation project.  The jolting development threw into serious jeopardy the automation of next year's presidential polls.

According to Cesar Flores Zavarce, the International Sales Director for Smartmatic, they answered the concerns raised by TIM but that they themselves were surprised when "they went directly to Chairman Melo and they announced that they're pulling out from the project."

The backlash was instant and tremendous. Comelec Chairman Jose Melo warned that TIM could be subjected to criminal prosecution if the bid's failure becomes final. Senator Richard Gordon termed it as "parang inestafa nila ang bayan." 

More on this story in this News on Q report by Pia Arcangel courtesy of GMANews.tv:

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And in this 24 Oras report by Mike Enriquez:

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end

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Comelec Suspends Signing of P11.2B Poll Automation Contract — Corporate Papers of Joint Venture of Smartmatic & TIM Not Yet Submitted to Comelec

29 June 2009

The signing of the P11.2 Billion poll automation contract between the Comelec and the Smartmatic-TIM joint venture has been suspended.  The reason?  The corporate papers of the joint venture between Smartmatic Corp. and Total Information Mgt. Inc. (TIM) have not yet been submitted to the Comelec.  This was disclosed by Comelec Chairman Jose Melo today.

More on this story in this flash report by Lala Roque courtesy of GMANews.tv:

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

Smartmatic was reportedly given until Friday to submit the joint venture's incorporation documents otherwise they risk losing the poll automation contract. 

By way of review, here is another flash report by Lala Roque, dated June 10, 2009, wherein the Comelec formally announced the award to Smartmatic Tim of the winning bid for the 2010 poll automation contract.  Comelec Chairman Jose Melo, Jr. is even shown congratulating the officials of the joint venture:

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

The Smartmatic - TIM joint venture is expected to put up a paid-up capital of P1.2B to give it a reasonable chance of successfully completing the massive and unprecedented poll automation project.

 

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