Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday, March 18 questioned the almost P18-billion contract between the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and South Korean firm Miru Systems Co. Ltd. (Miru Systems), saying that Miru, “is no stranger to controversy.”

In a privilege speech during Monday’s Senate plenary session, Hontiveros said Miru was previously involved in supplying automated election systems for, aside from its home country, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of Iraq. 

In Congo, however, researchers reportedly found out that the machines Miru tried to sell there were repackaged equipment originally intended for Argentina, where similar machines faced pushback. 

While in Iraq, a 2018 Reuters report found that Miru’s machines were “at the heart of fraud allegations that led to a manual recount in some areas after the May 12 election.”

Hontiveros said it was also found that 30% and 75% of the voting machines supplied by Miru, respectively, were affected by election-day glitches and malfunctions, which lead to failure of elections in those countries.

The senator also raised questions whether indeed the automated counting machines by Miru are prototype.

“During post-qualification – the phase of the competitive bidding process where the winning bid is validated to ensure that it meets the requirements in the bid documents - COMELEC Commissioner Marlon Casquejo admitted that the ACM being presented was a prototype,” she recalled.

“But Section 12 of Republic Act No. 8436, the Automated Election Law, as amended, requires that the system procured must have been successfully used in a prior electoral exercise here or abroad,” she pointed out.

Hontiveros also wondered why the poll body was only able to attract a single bid for the largest single contract in Philippine election history when there are at least 20 suppliers of automatic voting machines worldwide.

The senator also questioned Miru’s local partners saying the construction company that appears to be the share principal office address of another company—St. Gerrard Construction General Contractor & Development Corporation—is blacklisted by the Department of Public Works & Highways (DPWH).

“Mr. President, just what is a construction company doing leasing voting machines to the Filipino people?” she pointed out.

“Napakalaking kontrata, walang ni isang bidder (It was such a huge contract, but there was no other bidder)? Yes Smartmatic was disqualified because of its own money laundering controversies, but there were others. Bakit biglang naglaho nalang (why did they just disappear)?” she pointed out. 

“This makes me wonder, Mr. President: how many other substantial contracts have been awarded to the lone entity who bothered to submit a bid? 

Hontiveros said she agrees with Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara’s proposition it is time to re-examine the legal framework that have been set in place for public procurement, to prevent the system from being gamed, rigged, and manipulated for private gain. 

“Let’s bring back real competition in public bidding,” the senator said.

“What will happen to the P402-million we spent to procure automated election software – including the source code – to enable a proper source code review thereof? Gone with the wind?

“Mr. President, these questions are very important. Hindi lang po dahil (Not just because) public procurement requires the highest duty of care and responsibility from our public servants, but also because – since electoral machines are involved – they strike at the very heart of our democracy.

“Always, but most especially in these turbulent and divisive political times, the people's right to suffrage must be protected from fraud or the perception of fraud,  and kept sacrosanct,” Hontiveros emphasized.