COMELEC at Miru Systems, lumagda na sa kontrata para sa 2025 National at Local Elections
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Comelec and Miro Systems formally signed the contract for the use of automated election system in the 2025 midterm elections.
00:10 Luis Erizpe will give you the details.
00:12 Rise and shine, Luis.
00:14 After a long process of bidding and procurement,
00:20 the contract was signed by Comelec and Miro Systems Company Ltd.
00:25 for the use of automated election system in the 2025 national and local elections.
00:31 For P17.9 billion pesos,
00:34 Comelec will purchase 110,000 vote counting machines,
00:39 1,000 ballot boxes,
00:41 and printing of ballot for the elections.
00:45 We expected at least two weeks of heated debate and negotiation
00:53 as far as this contract is concerned.
00:55 All the exact wordings, phrases, statements,
01:00 and even including all the paragraphs in the contract and the provisions of the contract
01:04 were accepted in total by Miro Systems.
01:08 But even though the contract was signed,
01:10 there are still some doubts about the ability of Miro to provide an election fast track system,
01:15 especially since it was the first to issue in the elections in Iraq and Congo in 2016.
01:20 But in the middle of the signing, Miro itself responded to the issue.
01:24 The company said, "It's simple.
01:27 All the news is fake news that spread by the losers in the elections to the mentioned countries."
01:32 There are many, many rumors that are coming out of the news that are not facts.
01:38 That are just based on rumors.
01:40 Comelec insisted on Miro.
01:42 The commission also said that Miro promised absolute transparency
01:46 and was ready to do a source code review to test their system.
01:50 Miro Systems, in the earlier discussion before we signed,
01:55 they said that they will allow it and it's up to you.
01:59 The discretion is yours.
02:01 As long as they are willing to gamble,
02:04 they are willing to put the source code publicly to test anyone.
02:11 It's the first time that there is such an offer.
02:14 But Comelec is still worried.
02:16 Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia himself said that
02:20 the company has a long life sentence if there is an electoral sabotage in the Philippines.
02:27 That's why Miro should immediately tell anyone who will be targeted to be suspected in the elections.
02:33 I told them that I don't want us to be jailed there.
02:36 Number two, I told them that there are many who will approach the Filipino partners,
02:43 the politicians, the parties, whoever, to tell them to do something about their votes.
02:49 I emphasize to them that if they can do that, don't do it.
02:55 Not under the present leadership of this commission.
02:58 Miro said that they will not deceive the Filipinos
03:01 because they have a reputation that they are taking care of and they want to defend it.
03:06 We will stand firm on this issue.
03:08 We could promise, we could guarantee that we will be transparent all the way throughout the process.
03:13 We will abide by the rules of the Comelec, of this nation, of the Philippine nations.
03:18 Our goal also is to build up our company and to expand.
03:24 We are looking for the future.
03:26 So we will not do anything that will jeopardize our future.
03:30 The contract has been signed.
03:31 It is expected that the notice to proceed will be given to Miro to make customized automated counting machines in South Korea.
03:39 It will take six months.
03:41 There are still things that need to be changed in the machines.
03:43 It was presented in the post-qualification test.
03:47 Like the seconds for checking the vote, the camera installed in the machine, and others.
03:52 The Comelec assured that the whole process will be public until the election.
03:57 Louisa Erispe for Pambansang TV in Bagong, Philippines.