DELIVERY TIMELINE NOT GOING ACCORDING TO SKED
CHIZ TO COMELEC: FINALIZE TIMELINE OR ADMIT INABILITY
TO AUTOMATE 2010 POLLS

Opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero yesterday called on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to prepare for a shift to manual or partial automation if it is unable by March 10 to assure a fail-safe implementation of the full automation of the 2010 polls.

Escudero, who co-chairs the congressional oversight committee on poll automation, made the call after it was shown that the Comelec failed to meet the original timetables for the delivery of the counting machines.

"It's not going according to schedule as of today's hearing date. They submitted a different timetable when we were hearing the budget on the automated elections."

In Comelec's original proposal, automated machines should have been delivered starting October 1, 2009 and should have been completed by December 30, 2009.

However, the commission posted a different timeline in their websites which moved the date of delivery to November 1, 2009 with full completion by December 31, 2009.

As of today's hearing, COMELEC has again moved the timeline of delivery starting December 17, 2009 until February 22, 2010.

Escudero said that the committee will look into the failure of Smartmatic to deliver the counting machines according to the schedule in the approved contract.

"I don't think we should be lenient about it. They gave us assurances that it can be done...I think they should be held accountable for the delay," he pointed out.

Escudero also criticized the Comelec for agreeing to changes in the timetables without informing the oversight committee.

"Yes, the adjustments of timeline have been mutually agreed by the Comelec and Smartmatic which is permitted under the signed contract. But what begs to be asked is why Comelec doesn't demand from Smartmatic to meet the scheduled timeline. It should insist on penalizing Smartmatic for every delay it causes in meeting the deadline."

Escudero said under the poll automation contract, for every machine undelivered, Smartmatic should pay one half of one percent of the total value of the contract or partial total value of the unfulfilled portion of the deliverables.

"If penalties were imposed, Comelec would have saved a lot of money. Let us not forget that this contract amounts to P7.4 billion which all goes to rent." During the hearing, the Comelec said it needs two months before the May 10 polls to shift to manual voting in a worst-case scenario.

"These changes show the unpreparedness and the absence of foresight of those who planned the automation of the elections," he said.

"I urge the Comelec commissioners to be true and honest if it can't be done, don't force the issue and rush into automation just for the sake of automation," Escudero said.